Sign-up looms for businesswomen’s meeting

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Reservations will be accepted through today for area professionals who want to hear the inspirational story of Lucinda Yates of Portland, the artist and creator of Designs by Lucinda.

Yates will be the guest speaker for the annual meeting of the National Association of Women Business Owners-Bangor, which begins with a networking and social session at 6 p.m. and is followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 13, at Morgan Hill Event Center on Route 2 in Hermon.

Admission is $45 per person, and reservations can be made by calling NAWBO-Bangor president Marjorie Earl at 862-5123 or by visiting nawbobangor.com.

According to a NAWBO-Bangor release, Yates launched a line of fashion jewelry to help her and her young daughter escape homelessness.

Designs by Lucinda, described as a “company with a conscience,” now distributes internationally and has sold millions of handcrafted pins, raising millions of dollars and increasing awareness for nonprofit organizations and their causes.

The National Association for Female Executives named Yates its 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Sean Donahue, director of Peace through Interamerican Community Action, reports last Thursday’s snowstorm forced the postponement of a talk by Bob St. Peter, director of the Good Life Center in Harborside.

St. Peter’s talk, “Local Food in a Global Context,” is rescheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12, at the Peace and Justice Center, 170 Park St. in Bangor.

His presentation is the first in a monthly series of events organized by PICA’s Comida Justa y Local/Fair and Local Food Committee.

Donahue added that journalist Charles Hardy, a former priest who has lived in Venezuela for eight years, will discuss events he has witnessed while living there, at 7 p.m. Friday, April 13, at the center.

Hardy’s memoir, “A Cowboy in Caracas: One North American’s Life in Venezuela,” recently has been published and “is already receiving rave reviews,” according to PICA.

The eighth annual Bob Gagnon dinner-auction begins with dinner at 5 p.m. Friday, April 13, at the Rockland Elks Lodge on Rankin Street.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children 12 and under.

Bruce Gamage Jr. is the auctioneer, and Marlene Hall and the Whole Lot of Brass Band will provide the entertainment.

Proceeds help the Gagnon Fund provide gasoline certificates for cancer patients traveling for treatment and to establish a family room to support cancer patients and their families at Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport.

For information, or to make an auction contribution, call Brenda Gagnon, 594-4259, or Tish Gagnon, 596-1030.

Sandra Gordon of Waldo County Healthcare reports the 23rd Family Wellness Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 14, in the gymnasium at Troy Howard Middle School on Route 52 in Belfast.

The free fair is sponsored by Waldo County General Hospital.

Free screenings include blood pressure, spinal analysis, body mass index, hearing and pulse rate.

Exhibits and demonstrations will focus on dental care, nutrition, hospice, living wills, Medicare, hypnosis, Reiki, reflexology, medication safety, birthing Doula, and head lice.

Tips for railroad and highway safety and driving skills also will be available.

Children can participate in face painting, stamp art, play dough and coloring.

Fair topics are designed to appeal to all ages; door prizes will be awarded; and everyone is invited to attend.

For more information, call fair coordinator Lois Dutch at WCGH, 338-2500, ext. 4154.

Last year, some 2,300 walkers helped raise $422,000 for the Maine chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation by participating in one of several Manpower MS Walks throughout the state.

The 19th annual MS Manpower Walk takes place Saturday, April 28, at 10 Maine locations, and Sunday, May 6, in Eastport.

The planned April walks are for Augusta, Androscoggin County, Brewer-Bangor, Brunswick, Camden, Ellsworth, Greater Portland, Kennebunkport, Sanford and Waterville.

MS Maine chapter president Russell Anderson said in a release that the organization is “extremely grateful” for the “participation and support” of Manpower, which is in its seventh year as this fundraiser’s title sponsor.

Manpower is Maine’s largest staffing service.

Each walker is encouraged to raise $100, but most exceed that amount participating as either individuals or as members of teams.

To register to walk, or to volunteer for the event that helps support services and research for more than 4,000 Maine residents who have MS, visit www.msmaine.org or call (800) 526-8890 or 781-7960.

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