Here’s what I consider the thought of the week from Melissa Huston, community outreach coordinator of MAPS Adoption and Humanitarian Aid in Bangor.

“If Mother’s Day has you thinking about starting or adding to your family,” she wrote, “now is a perfect time to consider adoption.”

If this is something you are considering, she wrote, MAPS is hosting “an informational evening, Listen to Your Heart,” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, in the Children’s Reading Room of the Bangor Public Library on Harlow Street.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the adoption process, and how you can make a difference in the life of a child,” Huston wrote. “Families often tell us they thought about adoption, for a long time, before they actually got started on the process. If you have been thinking about it, it is time to Listen to Your Heart.”

To RSVP, or to learn more, call 941-9500 or visit www.mapsadopt.org.

Rita Hau-nert of the Bangor Art Society called to invite the public to attend a reception for the artists currently showing their works during the BAS 27th annual Open Juried Art Show, which can be seen during regular library hours in the Lecture Hall at Bangor Public Library on Harlow Street.

The artists’ reception is 6-8 p.m. tonight in the Lecture Hall, with the awards presentation beginning at 7 p.m.

Kristie Miner of Westgate Manor in Bangor invites you to Celebrate National Nursing Home Week at Westgate Manor 2007.

Family Education Night, which is open to the public, will be held 6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at Westgate Manor, 750 Union St. in Bangor.

“Preparing for the New Medicare Advantage Plans: What You Need to Know” will be presented by representatives of Eastern Agency on Aging in Bangor.

“How Will the New Federal Regulations to Reduce Medication Usage in the Nursing Facility Affect your Loved One?” will be presented by Dr. Toby Atkins.

For more information, call Miner at 942-7336.

Kim Goding of the Maine Commission for Community Service reminds us that this is AmeriCorps Week and that that national organization is preparing to welcome its 500,000th member, she wrote.

Goding explained that 3,454 AmeriCorps members have served nearly 4.5 million hours helping Maine’s communities since the organization was established by Congress in 1994.

MCCS has several events planned this week in recognition of this service and a listing of those events can be found at www.volunteermaine.org/americorpsweek.

Pine Tree Hospice and Piscataquis TRIAD will sponsor a free Community Resource & Education Fair 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Penquis Higher Education Center, 50 Mayo St., Dover-Foxcroft. The event features a variety of booths and information relating to community resources that should be of interest to seniors, friends, caregivers and the general public.

Amy Madigan-Dube, Dr. Lesley Fernow, Rick Mooers, Erin Callaway, Dr. Davis Frasz, Sherry Corbin and Juliana Plummer are among those hosting presentations, videos and discussion groups.

For more information, call PTH at 564-4346 or Piscataquis TRIAD at 564-0036.

Disc jockey Tommy Dean of Ellsworth is collecting country music cassettes and CDs for residents of the Maine Veterans Home in Bangor.

He will be collecting “Music for Our Veterans” through the end of the month, and asks you to send your donations to him at 408 Christian Ridge Road, Ellsworth 04605, or drop them off at American Legion Post 207 in Trenton.

Congratulations to pupils at Mountain View School in Sullivan who raised $1,000 for the Massachusetts Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients Program.

According to Stacy Parr, manager of the Massachusetts chapter, the funds raised by these youngsters will help local patients and their families as well as funding research and assisting other institutions throughout Massachusetts.

Guidance counselor Julie Anne Page reported that throughout April pupils raised the money by bringing their “spare change” to school.

Jay Bricker’s fifth-graders raised the most, $240.05, and won a pizza party to be awarded by the society.

“They also won the privilege of selecting the temporary hair dye color” that Page “will be changing her brown locks to.” The unanimous choice for her new look: Rainbow!

Kate Barter’s sixth-grade class came in a “very close” second, raising $211.95.

For more information about the Massachusetts Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, call (888) 688-6572 or visit www.lls.org/ma.

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