Maine Special Olympics

ORONO – For more than 36 years, Special Olympic athletes have trained for and competed in Special Olympics. The University of Maine will be the official site for this year’s games in Maine Thursday-Sunday, June 8-11. More than 1,300 athletes representing 180 teams will compete in a variety of Olympic-style sports. Competitions during the weekend will include track and field, bowling, volleyball and wheel chair events.

The first day of the competition, Thursday, June 8, will feature bowling 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The event is unique because it gives Special Olympic athletes the opportunity to team up with non-Special Olympic athletes.

Friday, June 9, the major events of the games will kick off with a parade featuring Shiners club units at 6 p.m. Opening ceremonies will be conducted after the parade. The Maine State Police Pipes and Drums Unit will perform during opening ceremonies.

The Flame of Hope will be flown in on LifeFlight of Bangor and carried by Police Officer Emery Toulouse of the Augusta Police Department and a Special Olympic athlete.

The Flame of Hope will be carried across the state by Maine law enforcement officers beginning Tuesday, June 6. More than 600 officers will participate in the annual Torch Run. The annual torch run is one of Special Olympics Maine’s largest fundraising events.

Special Olympics athletes will compete in track and field events 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 10. Members of Maine law enforcement will hand out medals throughout the day. In addition, hundreds of volunteers will be on hand to help conduct the events.

On Saturday evening, participants will attend the Banquet of Champions, followed by a victory dance with music provided by Shake, Rattle and Roll with Malinda Liberty.

Sunday morning, June 11, athletes will compete in the mile run and conclude with closing ceremonies.

Call Lisa Bird at 839-5578 or the state office at 879-0489 to obtain more information.

Teen center fundraiser

BANGOR – The Salvation Army’s PowerHouse Teen Center will conduct a Bowl-A-Thon 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at Family Fun Bowling Center, Hildreth Street, Bangor. To register a team, call Charlie at 941-2990 by Saturday, June 10. Sponsor sheets are available at The Salvation Army.

The PowerHouse is offering summers programs for those are 13-18. Activities include field trips, drama-film club, sports and games. The center also will conduct skate lessons 10 a.m.-noon, beginning Saturday, June 17, at the Bangor Community Skatepark behind the Paul Bunyan, Main Street, Bangor.

For more information, visit www.thepowerhouseteencenter.org, or call 941-2990.

Conservation camp scholarships

BRYANT POND – The Maine Conservation School at Bryant Pond has received notification from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife that the 2006 Moose Permit Auction has raised more than $50,000. These funds will be available this year to provide $200 scholarships for the school’s summer program. In this weeklong program, campers age 10 to 13 will be certified in hunter safety – either archery or firearms.

In addition, the school has been awarded a $16,000 grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund to provide scholarships for the one-week Junior Maine Woodsman-Woodswoman camp for ages 12 to 14, the two-week Maine Woodsman-Woodswoman for ages 13 to 15, and the four-week Junior Maine Guide program for ages 15 to 18. The scholarships will cover half of the program cost.

Both scholarship funds will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis. Some restrictions may apply.

Many other local groups have provided funding in various amounts, and support is received throughout the season. Call Joyce or Heather at 665-2068 for current scholarship availability.

Now in their 50th year, the Maine Conservation School’s summer camp and school programs have introduced children and adults to safe outdoor fun, environmental education and practical outdoor skills since 1956. The school’s summer camp season runs from June 25 through Aug. 25. For more information visit: www.meconservationschool.org.

Sports Hall of Fame

BANGOR – Seven people were inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame during the hall’s 31st annual induction and awards banquet on June 4.

. Winterport native Mike Bordick, a graduate of Hampden Academy and the University of Maine, played Major League Baseball. Bordick set two MLB records, played 14 big league seasons, replaced Hall of Fame player and MLB iron man Cal Ripken Jr. at shortstop, and played in numerous World Series games and one All-Star game.

. Dick Barstow is a Maine high school basketball coaching legend who was a member of Syracuse University’s football team with Jim Brown.

. James “Chico” Hernandez is one of only two masters division wrestlers in the county who has won gold medals in Sombo, Greco-Roman and freestyle.

. Brian Higgins of Hampden is a legendary high school soccer coach who never played or coached the sport before coaching his first game.

. The late Irving Kagan became the “father of freestyle World Cup skiing” despite never putting on a pair of skis until he was in his late 30s.

. Roger Reed was a multi-sport athlete who had his coaching sights firmly set on baseball before becoming arguably Maine’s most successful high school basketball coach.

. Pete Webb is a lifetime baseball fan who became synonymous with basketball as Maine’s basketball commissioner.

Also honored were MSHF director Wayne Lawton, who was given the organization’s president’s award, and 10 graduating high school seniors who each won $1,000 scholar athlete awards. They were:

. James Ecker, Brewer High School.

. Traci Underhill, Central High School, Corinth.

. Sabrina Cote, Dexter High School.

. Samantha Allen, Lake Region.

. Taryn Flagg, Livermore Falls.

. Kelly Johnson and Benjamin Roy, Bonny Eagle, Standish.

. Matthew Sherburne, Windham.

. Max Bass, Gorham.

. Ryan Knight, Massabesic, Waterboro.