Friends plan benefit for veterinary clinic aide

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You may not know her name but she may be one of your pet’s favorite people, and you now have the opportunity to help her as she has helped you and your pets in times of need.

Friends, co-workers and community members of 46-year-old Karen Martin Church of Baileyville are planning a benefit supper and Chinese auction for her at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, at the Calais American Legion hall on Calais Avenue in Calais.

Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Music will be provided by Keltic Smeltic.

Many donations have been received for the auction and the latest word is that more than 100 items will be available.

Church has been employed for several years as the receptionist at Calais Veterinary Clinic, Ann Caswell of Calais wrote, adding that “Karen has touched the lives of many animal lovers over the years with her kind and gentle manner.”

But two months ago, on Dec. 15, Karen Church’s life changed when she “was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer,” Caswell explained.

Church is undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatments in Bangor and is staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

Organizers of this benefit hope that those of you who know Karen Church and are near enough to attend this benefit will do so.

If you are unable to attend and want to help financially or with words of encouragement, you can mail donations and cards to Karen Church, c/o Calais Veterinary Clinic, 436 North St., Calais 04619.

Among the many fun-filled activities taking place during these two weeks of the Moosehead Lake Area Snofest in the Greenville-Brownville area is a first, very tasty treat.

It’s because it is the first such event that Shelagh Talbot wants everyone to know the sale of tickets is limited for The Chocolate Festival, although some tickets will be available at the door.

The Chocolate Festival, featuring 15 decadent chocolate desserts for the whole family, is 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, at the Masonic Lodge in Greenville.

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for the Kid’s Fest.

You can purchase tickets in advance at the sponsoring Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce, Northwoods Camp Rentals or Northwoods Outfitters.

The festival also includes a Chinese raffle, with prizes ranging from overnight lodging to white-water rafting, a moose safari and seaplane tours.

From Carol Guiggey, chairwoman of the Mars Hill Community Cupboard, comes word that readers responded generously to her request for help, which appeared here on Dec. 16, because that organization was “in dire need of contributions of money and food.”

After that column, she wrote, “we received an outpouring of donations” and, she added, “because of these donations, we are now in a greatly improved financial position to continue our mission well into 2005 to provide food supplements to those in need in our Central Aroostook area.”

Your donations came from “Bingham, Blaine, Brewer, Bridgewater, Camden, Dexter, Easton, Ellsworth, Hampden, Lincoln, Mars Hill, Mattawamkeag, Medway and Holden,” Guiggey wrote.

She extends her sincere appreciation for your assistance.

“We are especially thankful for all those who responded, so generously, at a time of great need.”

Anne Crowley, president of the Carmel Firemen’s Auxiliary, called the other day to report that “due to lack of interest” a talent show to raise money to help support the work of the Carmel Fire Department, planned for Saturday Feb. 26, has been canceled.

For more information about other Auxiliary fund-raising activities, call Crowley at 848-3877.

This message is for anyone planning to participate in, or make financial contributions

to, the 2005 Bangor 4th of

July Corp. activities.

After several years of hard work on this project, Marla Saliba, has officially “retired” as chairwoman of this event, and she wants readers to know that Angela Levesque, who is employed at Prudential Properties in Bangor, has taken on this responsibility.

Levesque will be taking all Bangor 4th of July Corp. calls, inquiries and donations, and can be reached at Prudential Properties, 160 Broadway, Bangor 04401, or by calling her at 942-8261.

And, for those groups, organizations or individuals who want to participate in the parade, Doug Hollingsworth is the new Bangor 4th of July Corp. parade chairman.

Parade entrants should call Hollingsworth at 262-2181 for more information.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.