Woman cyclists invited to ride for heart health

Female cyclists of all ages and abilities are invited to participate in the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s fourth annual Women’s Ride for Heart Health, featuring two rides Sunday, June 26, in Skowhegan and Auburn.

In addition to rides of 5, 10 and 24 miles, participants in the all-women ride may take advantage of medical screenings, which include blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.

The registration fee is $15 per rider, and proceeds benefit BCM’s mission of teaching bike safety each year to more than 15,000 Maine schoolchildren.

Deborah Ladner, health education coordinator for BCM in Augusta, said all participants should arrive at the ride site at 8 a.m., “even if they are preregistered,” in order “to take advantage of the medical screenings.”

After acknowledgements and statements from a guest speaker at 9 a.m., the cyclists will be on their way at about 9:20.

In Skowhegan, the host site is Somerset Sports and Fitness on Route 201.

In Auburn, the starting site is Women’s Fitness and Personal Training on Center Street.

“We’re trying to get women to recognize the signs and symptoms” of heart disease, Ladner said. Those indicators, she said, are “very different from male heart attack risks,” and she hopes to “[encourage women] to reduce that risk by being more active, eating healthy,” and quitting smoking.

She said the Women’s Ride for Heart Health “is growing very popular among mother-daughter [and] aunt-niece” combinations, and that the event is bringing newer women cyclists together with the “24-milers who, predominantly, come in support” of the effort to raise awareness of heart health.

According to a release from Ladner, “heart disease is the No. 1 killer among women in Maine” and, she suggests, this event is also “a great opportunity to rediscover the benefits and fun of bicycling.”

Sponsors of this year’s event include Central Maine Heart & Vascular Institute, MaineGeneral Health, Redington-Fairview General Hospital, Skowhegan-Madison Elks Lodge No. 2531, and St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center.

For information or to preregister for either ride, call 623-4511.

The Katahdin Area Council of Boy Scouts of America will host its 16th annual Downeast Antiques Fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 16, at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds, Route 172 in Blue Hill.

Admission for the general public will be $3, but early buyers will be admitted at 7 a.m. for $15 each.

According to Michael Cuskelly of the KAC, “this annual event, traditionally, draws antique dealers from all over Maine, New England and beyond,” and he wants dealers to know that space is still available.

To reserve your dealer space or receive information, call Cuskelly at 469-0909.

Cuskelly reported that “all proceeds from this event are used to expand, improve and maintain services for nearly 6,000 young people” who are members of KAC Cub Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Venture Crews, Explorer Posts and Learning for Life Groups.

He reminds readers that one of the highlights of the Scouting year is attending summer camp at Camp Roosevelt on the Katahdin Scout Reservation on Little Fitts Pond in Clifton.

The camp will open for “the 85th season of adventure” on Tuesday, July 26, he reported.

Anyone who was, at any time, a member of the Old Town High School Class of 1965, is invited to attend its 40th reunion, which is scheduled for Saturday, July 9.

The committee planning the reunion wants to emphasize that former classmates who attended what was, at that time, John Bapst High School in Bangor are particularly invited to participate.

If you have not received an invitation to this reunion, or if you know of members of the class who have not yet been contacted, call Cheryl Cates Clement, 827-5977, or Dawn Harris Cyr, 827-5806, to receive information or to provide information about the whereabouts of a member of that class.

Last Saturday, Hampden Historical Society conducted a yard sale to raise funds for that nonprofit organization.

“A lady bought a set of dishes,” Joan Ricker told me, “but she doesn’t have the whole set, unfortunately.”

Ricker hopes that if that buyer reads this item, she will call the HHS, 862-2027, or Ricker, 942-1715, so she can complete her set of dishes.

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