Friends of the family of Tara Lilly of Oakland are rallying ’round to offer their comfort, support and financial assistance as the young woman prepares to undergo treatment for a very rare form of cancer at the end of August in Switzerland.

A 1993 graduate of Penquis Valley High School in Milo, Lilly is the daughter of Bob and Marie Hayes of Milo, wife of Ryan Lilly, and mother of four children under age 6.

She recently was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer that has spread to her liver, according to information provided by Ann Dowd of Hermon.

There are three ways you can help Lilly get to Switzerland for this specialized treatment.

The first is by circulating pledge sheets and participating in the 5K “Line Up for the Lillys Walkathon” beginning with registration at 8 a.m. and the walk at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at PVHS in Milo.

Registration will be at the superintendent’s office, and you can park near the school.

To register for the 3.1-mile walk or receive more information about it, call Dowd at 478-1955 or e-mail madowd@adelphia.net; call Jill Russell-Morey at 892-9339 or e-mail russellmoreyjc@yahoo.com; or call Kerri Russell-Wiles, 965-8013, or e-mail barkinghound03@yahoo.com.

The second way you can help is by attending a barbecue sponsored by the Milo Kiwanis from 11 a.m. to noon that day after the walkathon at the Gillis residence on Main Street in Milo, which is just a short distance from the walkathon site.

The cost of the barbecue is $5 per person.

Finally, if you are unable to attend either of these events, but want to help Tara Lilly get to Switzerland, you can do so by making a donation to a fund set up for that purpose at Maine Savings Credit Union in Milo.

Donations to that account can be made at any branch of Maine Savings Credit Union.

Today is the deadline to register for the 14th annual Paul Devine Greater Gator Open Tournament, a four-person scramble beginning with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at Rockland Golf Club.

Proceeds benefit the Bob Gagnon Cancer Fund.

The $100 per-person entry fee includes golf, a cap, entry in drawings for cash and raffle prizes, and a lobster dinner. People wishing to attend only the meal can do so for $25 by sending a check to Joni Hilt, 271 Beechwood St., Thomaston 04861.

Three hole-in-one opportunities offer a 2007 Chevy Silverado 4×4, a 2007 Sea Ray boat and $10,000. In addition, five $100 cash prizes will be awarded for closest-to-the-pin.

For information or to register, call Keenan Flanagan at the Rockland Golf Club, 594-9322.

You are invited to attend the American Cancer Society’s fifth annual Northern Maine Living with Cancer Conference from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at Houlton Regional Hospital’s Center for Community Health Education.

The daylong conference is free and welcomes cancer patients, family members, caregivers and health care professionals.

The conference theme is “Hope, Tears, Laughter – Sources of Healing,” and highlighting that theme will be Maine humorist Gary Crocker of West Gardiner, educator and hospice chaplain Julianne Bousquet of Waterville, and nurse and Aroostook County native Helen Sherwood of Houlton.

Vendor exhibits, a panel discussion with cancer survivors, Reiki, yoga and seated massage sessions will be offered during lunch.

To register or to learn more about this enlightening, free educational opportunity, call the ACS at 800-227-2345.

From Tim Quinn comes word that openings are available for those who would like to participate in the second annual Cops & Commerce Golf Classic sponsored by Volunteers of America Northern New England on Friday, Sept. 14, at Fox Ridge Golf Club in Auburn.

Last year’s event raised $8,000 which was used to help send at-risk youth to summer camp, assist homeless youth and bring art to local communities, according to the Volunteers of America Northern New England release.

Registration information can be obtained by calling the organization at 373-1140, e-mailing golf@voanne.org, or visiting www.voanne.org.

According to its Web site, Volunteers of America Northern New England “is a national, non-profit, spiritually-based organization providing local human service programs and opportunities for individual and community involvement.”

This chapter focuses on “affordable low-income housing for seniors and a variety of services for youth, adults and families.”

Quinn wrote the benefit “is endorsed by the Maine Chiefs of Police Association and the Maine Sheriff’s Association.”

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