Yet another opportunity exists for a very lucky individual to win, for himself, herself or someone very special, a lovely diamond ring.

Josephine DiCenso, secretary of the Lincoln Veterans Memorial Monument Committee, wrote me that organization is conducting a Diamond Raffle to help raise money for the proposed veterans monument in Lincoln.

Working with Jim Vose of J.K. Vose Jewelers on Main Street in that community, this raffle features a “1.02-carat princess cut GIA certified diamond, valued at $8,000,” DiCenso wrote.

Tickets for the raffle are $20 each, and only 800 of them will be sold.

And while the drawing will not take place until Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, at Vose Jewelers in Lincoln, you can buy your ticket (or tickets) now, and have them all wrapped and ready for your December holiday celebration.

DiCenso wrote that the raffle tickets can be purchased in Lincoln at Vose Jewelers, the Lincoln News, the Why Not Stop, Aubuchon Hardware, Rite-Aid and Lincoln Federal Credit Union.

You also can obtain your raffle ticket by calling the following members of the LVMM Committee: Jim Vose at 794-8201; Ed DiCenso, 794-6627; Dick Tolman, 794-8750; Bill Ulaskas, 732-6285; Roger Morrison, 794-8229; Don Richmond, 794-2434; Errol Libby, 794-3577; and Ellsworth Smith, 794-2217.

Josephine DiCenso also added that “the winner of the diamond will have his-her choice of setting, and laser engraving is available around the girdle of the diamond.”

And she reminds you that your support of this fundraiser is for a most worthy cause, since all proceeds will help build the veterans monument.

On Saturday, Dec. 17, when I checked in with Mark Parent of WLBZ-2 for the latest count in the WLBZ-2/WLSH-6 Coats for Kids campaign, I learned that 20,175 coats had been collected.

Donation boxes for winter coats are at all Hannaford and Shaw’s supermarkets in Maine, and those boxes will be there until Saturday, Dec. 31.

Keep those coats coming, folks.

Judging from last year’s collection of more than 42,000 coats that were cleaned and distributed to help keep young Mainers warm during the winter, many more coats are needed to help make this another successful campaign.

The Bangor Symphony Orchestra invites outstanding Maine high school musicians to participate in the 25th annual Maine High School Concerto Competition, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, March 18, in Minsky Recital Hall at the School of Performing Arts on the University of Maine campus in Orono.

The snow date for this competition is Sunday, March 19.

The winner of the $500 Annas-Cupp Award will work directly with Maestro Xiao-Lu Li to select a piece to perform with the BSO during the May 2007 performances.

Eligible students are those who play flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, harp, violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano and percussion.

Students must be in grades nine through 12 at the time of the application deadline, which is Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006.

You can obtain your application and competition guidelines at bangorsymphony.com, by calling Surya Mitchell at the BSO office, (800) 639-3221 or 942-5555, or e-mailing her at surya@bangorsymphony.com.

Congratulations are extended to Galen Cole of Bangor who was honored recently by the Maine State Society of Washington, D.C., with its 2005 Big “M” Award.

Cole is the 41st individual to receive this award, joining a distinguished list of legislators, public officials, journalists, educators, jurists, scientists, athletes and civic leaders.

The MSS release states the purpose of the award is “to recognize Maine people, or people with Maine connections,” for their “outstanding contributions and service to Maine and its citizens, and to the state’s continuing role in the affairs of the nation; for attaining the highest level of achievement in the recipient’s profession; or for exemplifying the finest attributes of a concerned citizen involved in state or national affairs, projects or programs.”

Cole is a decorated World War II veteran and former president of Cole’s Express who has served on the Bangor City Council and has been an active member of several business and nonprofit boards and organizations benefiting his community and state. He is considered a leading advocate for Maine veterans.

He is an active participant in the programs of the Cole Family Land Transportation Museum in Bangor.

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