Every month for the past two years, a group of dedicated Orono residents has been meeting to plan for the college community’s 200th anniversary in 2006 and, in just a few days, the first of many planned activities begin.

The Orono Bicentennial Committee led by co-chairs Virginia Whitaker and John Hackney cordially invites you, your family and friends to attend a Bicentennial Kickoff Bonfire at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1, in the parking lot behind Orono High School.

The Orono Fire Department also is celebrating its 200th anniversary year, and its members have graciously agreed to conduct this special event. Those who attend are invited to bring written wishes for Orono’s bicentennial year to throw into the bonfire.

Whitaker said this event and many of the others were planned specifically for the afternoon so that it would be convenient for seniors and youngsters to attend.

She said a small brass group is expected to play; plans are under way to have hot chocolate available; and the committee will be selling commemorative calendars, postcards and copies of its cookbook, “Orono Cooks: Celebrating Orono’s Bicentennial.”

The cookbook was prepared with the help of Friends of the Orono Public Library and includes recipes from old Orono cookbooks and recipes submitted by local residents.

The book is $15 and is also available at the library.

As noted, this is the first of many events, since the committee has planned bicentennial activities to be held “from now until next Christmas, when we will be ending [the yearlong celebration] with a holiday tour,” Whitaker said.

Each month, a historical lecture on some aspect of Orono will be offered, she added, and the major events will include a 200th anniversary birthday cake party; a summer float parade down the river, followed by fireworks; and a street parade for a festival day in September.

Whitaker and Hackney have truly enjoyed their experience as Orono Bicentennial Committee co-chairs.

“We’ve had wonderful people working on it,” she said, “and many people have made new friends.”

After reading here about the many groups, organizations, schools and others who have made an effort to help victims of last fall’s hurricanes along the Gulf Coast, I received a call from Royce Wheeler of Bangor with updated information about what the Freemasons in Maine had done to help their fellow countrypeople.

Wheeler wrote that the Freemasons “have contributed more than $162,500 to hurricane relief in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.”

The money was forwarded to the Masonic Services Association, he said, “for distribution through the Masonic Lodges” in the affected states.

The funds were used for such things as food, clothing, shelter, medical needs, rebuilding and other necessities.

“This is in addition to the support that Maine Masons give, daily, for scholarships, tutoring dyslexic children, eye care, children’s hospitals, burns institutes and many other needy causes,” wrote the gentleman who is “proud to be a Mason.”

Kelly Brown, community response coordinator for The Next Step Domestic Violence Project in Hancock County, wrote to thank everyone who made its Angel Tree Program “a huge success.”

Brown admitted that in mid-December she was concerned because five families were still without sponsors.

After a Dec. 13 class she presented at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth, Brown spoke of the Angel Tree Program and that its goal of sponsoring 22 families remained unmet.

Later that afternoon, Brown began receiving calls from several hospital departments, and soon she “had more sponsors than families.”

“I was, and still am, amazed,” she wrote.

The Next Step also thanks employees of Stanley Subaru for more than $1,000 worth of toys, food and warm clothing; Ellsworth chiropractor Dr. Michelle LaPlante, who offered a free office visit for anyone who sponsored one gift from its in-house angel tree; and Toys for Tots representatives who “offered their services and donated gifts toward remaining requests on our family wish lists.”

Brown wrote that not only did large companies and organizations come “together to help us meet our goal,” but also “there were many individuals and former clients who sponsored families as well.”

“Every sponsor and every gift makes a tremendous difference.

“Again, with much gratitude from all of us at The Next Step, I thank you for all that you have provided our community.”

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