While one popular event sponsored by the Hampden Historical Society had to be canceled, another is coming up and you can help.

First, wrote Jerry Stanhope, the HHS “is sad to announce that the Antique Appraisal Day,” which was to be held Saturday, June 4, has been “canceled due to the lack of available appraisers.

“This has been a very successful fund-raiser for us in past years,” she added, “and we hope that we might be able to try it again another year.”

Stanhope added that HHS members are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

However, HHS members want “to spread the word that we are, definitely, having a Yard Sale and Book Sale” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at the Kinsley House, 83 Main Road South in Hampden.

“If anyone has treasures” which are no longer in use, the HHS welcomes donations for these sales.

Articles can be left any Tuesday at the Kinsley House, or appointment donations can be made with Stanhope by calling 862-3463, or Joan Ricker, 942-1715.

Stanhope reminds you “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

“Come one, come all, and find bargains that you can’t resist.”

Ecotat Gardens and Arboretum hosts a Bird Walk with Hope Brogunier and Bruce Barker at 7 a.m. Saturday, June 4, at 2699 Route 2, in Hermon.

Walkers will meet at the Annis Road parking area. After the walk, a continental breakfast will be served at the Blethen Library. Donations will be accepted.

Ecotat Gardens features 91 acres with 56 gardens and is open free, dawn to dusk, throughout the year. Visitors can take self-guided tours or schedule guided tours by appointment.

The Mary Blethen Library, established by the Bangor Nature Club, is open noon-3 p.m. Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, June through August, for browsing or borrowing gardening and nature books.

For more information, call 848-3700 or 848-3485, or visit www.ecotat.org.

After the Ecotat walk and breakfast, you might like to visit the Hermon Garden Club Perennial Plant Sale, which is 8-11 a.m. Saturday, June 4, on the grounds of the Hermon Municipal Building, 333 Billings Road.

Gaynor Reynolds reports that proceeds will be used to fund maintenance of the gardens at the Municipal Building and Snow’s Corner Cemetery, as well as to help fund an annual scholarship for a Hermon High School graduate.

If you’re looking for annuals, perennials, vegetables or herbs, all “good plants at great prices,” according to Barbara Bowler, then you should stop by the Buds ‘n Blooms Plant Sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at Grace United Methodist Church, 193 Union St. in Bangor.

The annual fund-raiser benefits the work of the Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center in Bangor.

Donations of plants for the sale are welcome.

Anyone who wants to drop off plants can do so from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 3, at the church, “while we are setting up for the sale,” Bowler said.

For more information about the sale, or the services of the MWWHC, call 947-5337 or (800) 948-5337.

Much to the surprise of many of us, who were saying a final goodbye to a friend, the last time I spoke to Austin Kelly was the day before he died Friday, May 27 at age 75.

For those who knew Austin, he was Austin as only Austin could be: opinionated, passionate and proud of the sport that was his profession: Golf.

I think he intentionally forgot I no longer write for the Bangor Daily News sports pages, because he cornered me, again that day, asking the same question he has asked me for years: “Why hasn’t the NEWS done anything about…?”, and on he went with a suggestion for another “great golf story.”

I swear, if the BDN gave a full page, six days a week, to golf, it wouldn’t have been enough for Austin, he so loved the game, the people who are part of it, and his place in its world.

I’m happy I had the opportunity to know the man who helped create Bangor Municipal Golf Course, of which I am very proud.

Each time I pass the first tee of what we referred to as the New Nine, I will remember with gratitude that now I can call that very special part of our city the Kelly Nine.

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