Bangor

Retail businesses and success downtown

Bangor Center Corp. will present “Retail Businesses CAN Succeed Downtown” 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, March 16, a panel discussion free and open to the public at 25-27 Broad St., in the Bangor Museum and Center for History.

Moderator will be Parke Clemons, board president, Bangor Center Corp. Discussion topics and panelists are:

. “Creating a Strong Business Image,” Jan Kaufman, J Group Advertising and Linda Packard, Packard Judd Kaye Strategic Marketing Group.

. “Do You Know Who’s Logging-on to Your Wireless Business Network?” Kelly Cotiaux, Sephone Internet Solutions.

. “10 Mistakes for Businesses to Avoid,” Sally Bates, city of Bangor.

. “If I Knew Then What I Know Now, Here’s What I’d Do Differently,” Brad Ryder, owner, Epic Sports; Sonya Eldridge, owner, Bagel Central.

. “Shopping Turn-ons and Turn-offs,” Kristen Andresen, Shop Girl, Bangor Daily News.

A question-and-answer session will be held. Light refreshments will be provided. Reservations are not required.

Art for kids and parents

Have fun with your child while you both build artistic skills using traditional and nontraditional painting materials during the Parent and Child Art Workshops, starting Saturday, March 18, at the Maine Discovery Museum. With no experience necessary, children and their parents build and create together.

“This is not only a great opportunity for children and parents to work together on a focused art project, but they’re also getting to spend some time with the materials and really experiment,” said marketing director and artist Jennifer Chiarell.

Learn from Annette Sohns, an instructor at the museum and art student at the University of Maine, 1:30 p.m. Saturdays, March 19-April 8. Sohns will provide all materials and give step-by-step instructions.

Sign up for one or all four sessions. The program is recommended for children in grades two through four.

The cost includes parent and child, $10 a session for members, $12 for nonmembers. Museum admission is not included. Call the museum to register at 262-7200.

Stay up to date on museum events and programs by joining E-Club. Sign up at www.mainediscoverymuseum.org.

Government secrecy talk

The League of Women Voters of Maine, the Bangor Public Library and the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition will sponsor a Sunshine Week event 1-3:30 p.m. Monday, March 13, in the board room at Bangor Public Library. The program will feature a live satellite feed from the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. A brief discussion focusing on Maine issues will follow the national broadcast.

The National Press Club panel will be moderated by Geneva Overholser, ombudsman of the Washington Post. Panelists include Thomas S. Blanton of the National Security Archive and Thomas S. Susman from the firm Ropes and Gray.

The subject is “Are We Safer in the Dark?” National experts will discuss open government and secrecy, the problems, the impact on communities and what the public can do. After the broadcast, the library will host a discussion featuring Marie Tessier, who will also moderate an audience discussion of the issues raised.

Tessier is a Bangor-based freelance writer and editor who covers national, international and financial affairs and a co-founder of the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition.

Community Connector

The city of Bangor issued a proclamation on Feb. 27 commending the BAT Community Connector for its Excellence in Tourism Award from the Maine Tourism Commission.

The city’s public bus service was nominated for the award by the Passenger Services Division of the Maine Department of Transportation for its efforts in shuttling and moving visitors at the National and American Folk Festivals.

3rd Wednesday Film Series

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor will start a Third Wednesday Film Series at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, with “Torch Song Trilogy,” which has been described as the first gay-themed motion picture to cross into mainstream.

The film was released in 1988. It’s based on the play that won two Tony Awards, Best Actor and Best Play, in 1983.

Writer-star Harvey Fierstein plays the lead role, with Ann Bancroft and Matthew Broderick featured. It will be shown in the vestry at 120 Park St. The public is invited, and there is no charge. Discussion will follow the film.

The series is sponsored by the welcoming congregation committee, which is conducting a Unitarian Universalist Association program to assure that gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people are fully welcome at the church.

Chain of Concern event

The public is invited to join a Chain of Concern marking the third anniversary of the bombing of Iraq from 11 a.m.-noon Saturday, March 18, on the sidewalks lining State Street from Eastern Maine Medical Center toward Mt. Hope Cemetery. The Chain of Concern is one of hundreds of commemorative peace activities taking place across the state and around the country.

The purpose of forming a human chain from the hospital toward the cemetery is to express sorrow about the loss of life on Sept. 11, 2001 and the loss of life resulting from the United States responses to the terrorist attacks, which includes the occupation of Iraq, said officials from local peace and justice organizations.

Signs will affirm a variety of concepts. Copies of photos of Iraqis taken by Bangor’s Jim Harney in 2001 will be available for participants to hold. Three years ago, before the invasion of Iraq, activists held a Chain of Concern along Route 2.

Subsequent Chains of Concern were held in collaboration with Veterans for Peace to express concerns about troops being in harm’s way, the lack of veterans’ benefits for those returning from duty and the human and financial costs of the invasion of Iraq.

The third anniversary Chain of Concern is co-sponsored by Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, Veterans for Peace Bangor Chapter and Military Families Speak Out. For more information, call 942-9343.

Keep ME Warm Fund

As the temperature plummets, one bank is doing its part to ensure families stay warm. Camden National Bank recently donated $1,000 to Penquis Community Action Program in support of the Keep ME Warm Fund, a charitable fund launched by Gov. John Baldacci to provide emergency fuel assistance to low-income households across the state.

“The Keep ME Warm Fund provides a true safety net by helping Maine’s low-income citizens when there are no federal assistance dollars available,” said Charles Newton, executive director of Penquis CAP. “We are pleased to have Camden National Bank a part of this important effort to help Maine families stay warm this winter.”

Brewer

Photo album class

The Brewer Parks and Recreation Department will hold family photo album classes 7-9 p.m. Thursdays, March 9-30. The class is designed to help participants turn photos into treasured family heirlooms for future generations. The class will teach how to organize and preserve photos, give information about photo-safe materials and give creative tips on cropping and album page layouts.

The fee for returning participants is $20 for Brewer residents, $24 for others. New participants will be provided with a starter pack and are asked to arrive at 6:30 p.m. for introduction. Fees for new participants are $25 for Brewer residents, $29 for others. Call 989-5199 for information or registration.

Kiwanis Club news

More than 50 Kiwanians from Divisions 2, 3 and 4 attended the Brewer Kiwanis Club meeting at the Muddy Rudder Restaurant recently. They represented the Bangor Noon, Bangor Breakfast, Rockland, Mount Desert Island, Dover-Foxcroft, Orono-Old Town, Hampden, Pittsfield, Dexter and Brewer clubs.

President Bob Dion introduced speaker Dave Lockwood of the Dover-Foxcroft club, who led a discussion on the feasibility of holding a joint Kiwanis Safety Day for central Maine.

Division 3 Lt. Gov. Nancy Golding briefed the group on the proposed restructuring of the New England District of Kiwanis and the special upcoming District Conference at Worcester, Mass.

The Brewer Kiwanis Club meets 6-7 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at the Muddy Rudder Restaurant in Brewer.

Bucksport

Benefit music show

A bluegrass and old-time benefit show will be held 7-10:30 p.m. Saturday, March 11, at Bucksport Middle School Auditorium, Miles Lane. The show will feature The Mueller Family, Misty Mountaineers and Friends of the Family. The suggested donation is $10. The show will benefit John and Donna Sanborn. To obtain more information, call Royce Perkins at 326-8609.

Carmel

Historical society

The Carmel Historical Society will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9, at the Masonic Hall, Plymouth Road. A potluck supper will be served at 6 p.m.

The program will feature JD Blaine from CineVid, who will show a documentary film about the murder of Naomi Mitchell.

Corinth

Republican caucus

Ronald Wilcox, chairman of the Corinth Republican Committee, has issued an invitation to Corinth Republicans to meet at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 12, at the town office meeting room on Exeter Road.

The main purpose of the biennial caucus is to allow voters who are registered as Republicans to elect delegates and alternates to the Republican State Convention May 5-6 in Augusta.

Other business will include the organization of the local committee and the nomination of members of the Penobscot County Republican Committee.

For those who are new to Corinth or who would like to change political affiliation, there will be an opportunity to register as Republican.

Hampden

Children’s Day volunteers

Whether it’s March or August, there is always a task that needs a volunteer in order to bring everything together for Hampden’s Children’s Day.

In March, committee members are preparing for the bowl-a-thon, the major fundraiser. They need people to make and distribute posters, copy and distribute applications, contact businesses for prizes and pick up those prizes, as well as four-man teams to raise funds and bowl, committee members said. This year, the bowl-a-thon is Saturday, March 18.

During April, May and June, help is needed to call various groups and clubs to request or confirm entertainment and booths for Children’s Day and also to sell kayak raffle tickets.

In July, volunteers are needed to order and pick up trophies and ribbons, send articles to newspapers and help create the event program.

For the event itself in August, there is a need for people to distribute programs, help with parade lineup, help with the French fry-doughboy stand and clean up the school grounds afterward. People are also needed to order food, order the tent, set up and sell food, call and visit businesses for business card advertisements, make posters for the event, e-mail about meetings, solicit sponsorships, pick up the mail, as well as update and check the voicemail.

You don’t have to formally join the Children’s Day Committee and commit to lots of meetings. No matter how little time you have to give, they can use you. Call Amy Lorenzo at 862-5522 or Don Darling at 947-2866 to let them know what you can do. If you’d like to join the committee to help plan the day, it meets at 7 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month in the Hampden town office.

Old Town

Benefit dinner

The Professional Firefighters of Old Town will hold a benefit dinner 4-7 p.m. Friday, March 17, at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Old Town. The menu is a traditional boiled dinner of ham, cabbage, potatoes, carrots and turnip. The cost is $5, $3 for children.

Proceeds from the meal will benefit a former firefighter who has been in treatment for cancer for the last five years. This is the second time a dinner has been held for the firefighter’s benefit. At the first dinner two years ago, $3,000 was raised and donated directly to the family. To obtain more information, call Chris Baker, 827-3977.

Scrapbooking day

Super Scrapbook Saturday will be held April 1 at the Old Town Elks Lodge. The cost is $25. Door prizes, raffle prizes and lunch are included in the cost of admission. Nancy’s Scrapbooking will be present with vending supplies. RSVP to Julie at (800) 371-3227, ext. 3923. The event benefits the American Cancer Society.

Orono

Bicentennial lecture series

Sally Jacobs and Nancy Smith – women with strong links to Orono’s history – are the featured speakers in the third installment of Orono’s Bicentennial Lecture Series. The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 16, in the Orono Town Council chambers.

Jacobs and her husband live in the 1780 William Colburn house, the oldest home in town. William Colburn was the son of Jeremiah Colburn, one of the first settlers in what is now Orono.

Smith is a descendant of another Orono settler – John Marsh. He, like Jeremiah Colburn, was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. Smith participated in Benedict Arnold’s march to Quebec City.

The lecture series is part of a yearlong celebration of Orono’s bicentennial and is funded by a grant from the Maine Humanities Council. For a full schedule of bicentennial events, visit www.orono2006.com.

Boys, girls club dinner dance

The Penobscot Nation Boys and Girls Club fourth annual Dinner-Dance and Silent Auction will take place 5 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at the Black Bear Inn in Orono.

Silent auction items will feature two vacation packages for two people, six days and six nights on a South African safari trip, valued at more than $3,000. Other auction items include native crafts made by Penobscot Nation members, collectibles, antiques, services, art, jewelry and much more. Twenty door prizes will be drawn randomly.

Corporate tables are available. Businesses making reservations will receive a gift and recognition in the program that evening, and the business name will be displayed prominently on the table.

Proceeds will allow the continuation of a program to provide youth with a hot meal every day and a safe place to go after school. The club will be able to continue to expand its programs. Currently, the club includes youth from Indian Island, Old Town, Greenbush and Milford.

For tickets or table reservations, call 827-7776, ext. 7355.

Gala of 200 cakes

Orono will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its founding in mouth-watering fashion. The public is invited to a gala featuring 200 cakes at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 12, at the Asa Adams School cafeteria.

The event, which is part of Orono’s yearlong bicentennial celebration, will feature a musical program arranged by Susan Smith and speeches given by Gov. John Baldacci and local dignitaries.

For children – and the young at heart – temporary tattoos of the Orono town seal will be available.

All portions of the event are free and open to the public. For information, visit www.orono2006.com.

Real Security Hearing

Candidates for Congress and for the governor’s office have been invited to attend a Real Security Hearing noon-5 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at Neville Hall, University of Maine, to hear testimony about the impact of current policies on social, physical, environmental and economic security, as well as proposed alternatives.

Twenty-two organizations are co-sponsoring the hearing and invite the public to attend. The keynote address will be delivered by Rita and Richard Clement of Gardiner, who are parents of an Iraq war veteran and members of Veterans for Peace and Military Families Speak Out.

The sponsoring organizations for the hearing are Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine, Maine People’s Alliance, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Spruce Run, Food & Medicine, Environmental Health Strategy Center, Veterans for Peace Bangor Chapter, Peace through Interamerican Community Action, Maine Association of Interdependent Neighborhoods, Peace Action Maine, Maine Peace Action Committee, Waldo County Peace & Justice, Waterville Peace & Justice, Pax Christi, Department of Peace Campaign Maine, Orono Peace Group, Amnesty International Bangor High School Group, Interfaith Alliance, Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center, WERU Community Radio, Progressive Student Alliance and We the People.

This is the second such hearing. In March 2002, a Real Security Hearing was held in Bangor at the William Cohen School. All candidates for congressional offices and the governor’s office were invited to hear testimony from 15 organizational representatives.

The hearing will provide opportunities for informal networking during the two breaks planned during the day and a brief time for candidates’ responses at the end of the day. For information, call 942-9343.