Brooksville pupils sharing Iditarod adventure

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Brooksville Elementary School teacher Nada Lepper reports that the third-, fourth- and fifth-graders who recently returned from a week in Alaska attending the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race are “continuing to share our adventure with as many people as possible.”

The young Iditarod travelers invite the public to view a digital slide show at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, at the school.

Their next public appearance will be a “video of our adventure from Bangor to Anchorage to McGrath and back again,” Lepper wrote about a presentation at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 12, at the Alamo Theatre in Bucksport.

A year in the planning, the trip was an extension of a study unit on the Iditarod.

Pupils, family and friends worked hard to raise $40,000 to make the trip that found the eastern Maine youngsters in Anchorage for the beginning of the race and then took them to McGrath, one of the checkpoints along the route, where they visited pen pals at the local school.

For those unable to attend either presentation, Lepper has another offer.

The group is willing to share its story with “other classrooms or organizations,” she wrote.

Lepper reminds you that “a child with a dream is a child with a future.”

These Brooksville Elementary School children now know that, although it takes hard work, dreams do come true.

Anyone interested in reliving this grand adventure with these youngsters can call Lepper at 326-8500, e-mail lepper@prexar.com or write her at Brooksville Elementary School, Brooksville 04617.

I received a note containing a bit of “weather history” from Jerry Ballanger of Brewer, who has been a test center supervisor for the College Board SAT Program for 35 years.

Ballanger wrote that the first SAT test he has ever had to postpone because of bad weather was the one scheduled for Saturday, March 12.

Students who were supposed to take the test that day are taking their SATs today.

On behalf of the Arcady Music Society, its artistic and executive director Dean Stein of Bar Harbor invites the public to attend the society’s annual Fiddle Festival and Country Dance.

The Fiddle Festival, featuring three levels of fiddle workshops led by master fiddler Greg Boardman, is 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at Hampden Academy.

The Family Supper and Country Dance follows at 5 p.m. at the academy. Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for children age 10 and under.

For more information, visit www.arcady.org, call 288-2141 or e-mail arcady@arcady.org.

Committee members organizing the 6th Annual Bob Gagnon Cancer Fund Dinner and Auction are accepting donations that will be picked up by committee members.

That event begins with dinner at 5 p.m., followed by the auction at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 15, at the Elks Lodge on Rankin Street in Rockland.

Local auctioneer Bruce Gamage will preside, and Marlene Hall and the Bar Code Band will entertain.

Admission is $8 for adults, $4 for children 12 and under.

A raffle of just 100 tickets, at $50 each, will offer five drawings, with the winners receiving $500.

To purchase tickets, call Brenda Gagnon, 594-4259; Brenda Atkinson, 785-5792; Joni Hilt, 354-6405; Bill Benner, 594-4847 or Barbara Guy, 594-7225.

The Skowhegan-Madison Elks Lodge will host an indoor yard sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the lodge.

Eight-foot tables are available for rent for $10, and chairs will be provided at no cost, first come, first served.

Tables also will be available for donated items and baked goods, and hamburgers and hot dogs will be sold from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Proceeds will benefit the Togus VA Medical Center. For more information, call Mike Lange at 474-3111, or e-mail elks2531@gwi.net.

As a member of the Bangor Daily News sports staff for 15 years, I had the pleasure of writing about Michigan State University women’s basketball coach Joanne Palombo McCallie from her Brunswick High School playing days (where she surpassed 1,000 points as a junior) to her years coaching the University of Maine women’s basketball team.

I am as proud as I can be of her accomplishments to date.

Congratulations, Joanne.

There was never a single doubt in my mind that, one day, you would be where you are today: the NCAA Women’s Final Four.

I share with thousands of Maine basketball fans best wishes for your continued success.

Go, State!

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

990-8288.