Hampden Police Department Cpl. Chris Bailey has announced that the HPD and Old Town Police Department are conducting a simultaneous Pharmaceutical Drug Collection Program.

The public safety event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, March 25, at two locations: Graves Supermarket on Western Avenue in Hampden, and Hannaford on Stillwater Avenue in Old Town.

“We are collecting any expired or used medications that people may have in their cabinets, or anywhere else,” he said. “A lot of times, people just don’t know how to get rid of them; what is environmentally safe.”

Bailey said this event “is, basically, an opportunity for families to potentially reduce the risk of theft, or accidental consumption of medication by children or adults in the home who may think they are taking something else.”

To safely dispose of such drugs, give them to members of either the HPD or OTPD on Friday.

When Bear Creek Lodge on U.S. Route 2 in Island Falls burned in February, John and Patt Schmidt lost not only their business, they also lost their home.

A benefit turkey supper for the Schmidts is being held by the Island Falls Ambulance Service from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 25, at the VFW Hall in Island Falls.

The community fund-raiser includes a silent auction.

Anyone who has an item to contribute to the auction is asked to call Reneva Smith at 463-2504.

Through the end of April, students at Penobscot Jobs Corps Center in Bangor will be working to raise more than $500 to assist the family of Nicholas Chandonait, who was 5 weeks old when he died on Feb. 12 in a Portland hospital.

The son of Jeff and Amy Chandonait of Lee, Nicholas was born with a hole between the ventricles of his heart and was missing a heart valve.

The infant underwent five microsurgeries and, while more surgeries were scheduled, the family had been optimistic about his prognosis.

PJCC student Alicia DiMario of Corinna is organizing the fund-raiser to assist the Chandonaits, who, according to information provided by PJCC, have incurred thousand of dollars of debt for Nicholas’ care and treatment.

The students are urging individuals to send contributions to PJCC Baby Nicholas Fundraiser in care of Derek Breton, 1375 Union St., Bangor 04401.

All checks or money orders should be made payable to Amy and Jeff Chandonait.

The family also encourages people to send donations to Ronald McDonald House, 250 Brackett St., Portland, 04102, where they stayed; or to the Barbara Bush Pediatric Unit, c/o Maine Medical Center, Bramhall Street, Portland 04102, where Nicholas was hospitalized.

You are invited to attend the Ninth Annual 3 Bands Concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at Maine Center for the Arts at the University of Maine in Orono.

The concert benefits youth services at The Acadia Hospital in Bangor, a nonprofit psychiatric and chemical dependency hospital, part of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems in Bangor.

Composer-educator David Shaffer of the Miami University faculty will conduct the University of Maine Concert Band, the Bucksport High School Band and the Brewer Middle School Band.

Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for students with identification, those under age 17 and seniors age 62 and above.

Tickets can be purchased at the door, by calling Eastern Maine Charities, 973-5055, or at www.acadiahospital.org.

The concert is sponsored by Affiliated Healthcare Systems, Bangor Daily NEWS, WZON-WKIT-WDME and WVII ABC 7, along with Bangor Savings Bank and Georgia-Pacific Corp., in conjunction with the UMaine School of Performing Arts.

From Cindy Soucie, Natalie Saucier and Debbie Smilie of Splash Pools and Spas in Presque Isle comes this thoughtful fund-raiser for the Christmas Toys for Tots program.

The women hope you will join them, a little earlier than usual, in making a difference in the life of a child next Christmas.

For each customer purchasing a pool or spa between now and the end of November, a portion of the purchase amount will be deposited in a bank account for Toys for Tots.

For example, for a customer purchasing an $1,800 pool, 5 percent, or $90, will go to Toys for Tots.

At the end of November, the funds will be divided among the communities represented by the purchasers.

To learn more about this program, call Splash Pools and Spas at 764-7665.

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