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Areawide

The members of Maine-ly Harmony women’s chorus is opening its ABC Day of Harmony classes and workshops to area men and boys who want to improve their singing technique. The event will be held 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at Gardiner Regional Middle School, Cobbossee Avenue, Gardiner. The cost is $35 and includes breakfast and lunch. For information, call Donna at 582-5523 or Lea, 622-1273.

Bangor

Book talk on Helen Nearing

Mimi Killinger, a University of Maine professor and author of “The Good Life of Helen Nearing,” will speak at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, at Bangor Public Library.

Booklist comments on Killinger’s book say that, “Long before it was fashionable, Helen Knothe and Scott Nearing practiced the Spartan tenets of self-sufficiency by homesteading their extensive properties.” A Nearing biographer, John Saltmarsh, suggests that Killinger has brought Helen Nearing out from behind Scott Nearing’s formidable shadow.

Killinger’s book will be available for purchase and signing. For information, call the library at 947-8336.

Land trust activities

Bangor Land Trust will host the following events this month:

. “Reading the Forest,” 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, Walden Parke Preserve. The tree species present in Walden Parke Preserve provide clues to the history of the area. Identify trees and shrubs, discuss their ideal growing conditions and how they interact and change over time. To get to Walden Parke Preserve, take a right on Walden Parke Way off Essex Street. Then take a right on Tamarack Trail and park at the end of the road near the Walden Parke Preserve sign.

. Stream study, 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, Kenduskeag Stream Park. Wondrous miniature communities live among the rocks of streams and rivers. With the aid of a microscope, participants will examine these tiny creatures. Kids of all ages will love getting their feet wet. Meet at the Kenduskeag Stream parking area off Valley Avenue.

. Bike Training Ride, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19. Bangor Land Trust board member Dick Andren will lead bicyclists of all levels on a one-hour ride along Essex Street to Forest Avenue. Learn safe riding habits while preparing for the trust’s 20-mile fundraising road ride in October. Meet at the Essex Woods parking lot off Watchmaker Street.

For information, call Chandra McGee at 942-1010 or visit www.bangorlandtrust.org.

End the War-Build the Peace

The public is invited to an End the War-Build the Peace rally and ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Paul Bunyan Park in Bangor.

After a short rally with speakers and music, there will be a ceremony to mourn those killed in the Iraq war. Area churches will toll bells.

Participants will either lie down to represent the dead or will stand as mourners. Bagpipes will play. There will be a reading of the names of some of the U.S. and Iraq war dead.

Participants will rise up with signs and symbols representing alternatives to war – health care, housing, education, a clean and sustainable environment, cooperation, etc.

Area choirs will sing together to affirm ongoing commitment to peace and a vision for a sustainable future.

Afterward, participants will line Main Street in a Chain of Concern.

Participants may want to consider walking, biking or boating to the event to raise awareness about the need to create a sustainable environment to prevent future wars.

Other towns are urged to have their own ceremonies in the morning and join the Bangor event in the afternoon.

To co-sponsor, contribute to, support or obtain information, contact the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, 170 Park St., 942-9343, or visit www.peacectr.org.

Video by EqualityMaine

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor’s welcoming congregation committee will screen a new 11-minute video, “The Way Life Should Be: Marriage in Maine,” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, in the church vestry, 120 Park St.

Melissa and Angela have been together 11 years and are raising a young son. Steve and Jim, together for 30 years, run a small business. Rita and Sara Jane have eight grandchildren between them, and have been together for 25 years.

All three of these Maine couples would like to get married – but they can’t.

In the new video, these Maine natives tell the stories of their lives and relationships, and why they want to marry here. They discuss everything from parenting to aging, and how their exclusion from marriage affects their lives legally, emotionally and socially.

A discussion facilitated by Darlene Huntress, public policy director of EqualityMaine, will follow the film presentation. Also on hand will be Steve and Jim, one of the couples.

The video is a production of EqualityMaine, the Maine Civil Liberties Union, and Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, who worked with Molly O’Neill of Moped Productions. It will be shown throughout the state at churches, college campuses and house parties.

For information, visit www.EqualityMaine.org. For information about the event at the church, call Bill Carlin, 945-0069.

MAPS session on adoption

The public is invited to join representatives of Maine Adoption Placement Service for an informational evening to learn more about how adoption can make parenting a reality. MAPS’ guiding principal is that “all children need and deserve a family of their own.”

The meeting will provide an overview of current trends in MAPS domestic networking and international adoption programs.

RSVP to Melissa Huston at 941-9500 to find out the time and location of the meeting, and to ensure adequate space and materials are available. For information, visit www.mapsadopt.org.

Early childhood training

The Penquis Child Care Resource Development Center is offering training in Maine Early Childhood Learning Guidelines. Two courses are offered. The first course begins 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, and continues every other Saturday, Oct. 20, Nov. 3 and Nov. 17, at Penquis CAP, 262 Harlow St.

The second course begins 2-5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, and continues every Friday, Oct. 19 and 26, Nov. 2, 9, 16 and 30, and Dec. 7. The cost of the training is $15.

The training sessions are open to family child care, center-based, nursery school, Head Start and public pre-kindergarten staff.

Topics include orientation to the ECLG, integrating the guidelines into curriculum, adapting the guidelines to children with special needs, observation and assessment of young children using the guidelines, and sharing them with families.

Call in advance to ensure that space is available. To obtain information or to register, call 973-3533 or 888-917-1100.

Leadership luncheon

BANGOR – The Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce will present a leadership luncheon, “Insights into Improving Your Effectiveness via Communication,” 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, at Eastern Maine Community College, Rangeley Hall. The event will feature Sue Medley of the XLR8 Team Inc. Medley is a former coach of the University of Maine women’s volleyball program. She started that program in 1999. She has worked as a business, education and athletics consultant since 2004.

Highlights of the interactive talk will include:

. Four core behavioral styles and their impact on communication styles.

. Identifying one’s core style and communication tendencies.

. Four factors of communication: tone of voice, body language, pace and words.

. Learning to “flex” and adapt communication styles according to situation.

. Utilizing communication strategies to obtain desired results.

The cost of the lunch and program is $15. Sign-up for chamber events online at www.bangorregion.com or call 947-0307 for information.

Troop Greeters

Distinguished Service plaques were presented to the Bangor Troop Greeters and the Bangor International Airport on Sept. 9. Brig. Gen. Don Reynolds, commander, Maine Air National Guard; Brig. Gen. Frances Auclair, chief of staff, Maine Air National Guard and Col. Steven Atkinson, commander, 101st Air Refueling Wing, made the plaque presentations.

The recognition was for the outstanding support the airport provides Air National Guard and United States Air Force missions going through Bangor.

Recognition of the Bangor Troop Greeters was for surpassing 500,000 troops greeted at the airport.

Crazy for “Buffy”

“The Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sing-along” comes to the Penobscot Theatre Company’s Bangor Opera House for a special show filled with singing, interactive audience participation, karaoke (Buffy-oke) and evil bunnies.

“The Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sing-along” takes the stage at 7 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 19. Tickets are $10, available at the door.

The Buffy sing-along is an interactive cinema phenomenon sweeping the nation, playing to sold-out theaters of Buffy fanatics and newcomers in New York City, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” made the unlikely jump from failed 1992 movie to television series to cultural phenomenon that ran for seven seasons.

Series creator Joss Whedon poured his heart and soul into “Once More With Feeling,” a surprisingly effective musical episode from Buffy’s sixth season. He wrote and composed all the songs and even extended the length of the show in order to cram in more music.

The plot involves a tap-dancing demon who makes everyone in Sunnydale dance and sing out their deepest, darkest secrets, until they uncontrollably combust.

“The Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sing-along” brings this legendary television episode to the giant screen, and fills the theater with singing, dancing, shouting and laughing friends. In the tradition of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and other interactive fan favorites, the audience sings along (subtitles provided) and participates in the show with interactive goodies (also provided).

Finger puppets are waved in the air as monsters appear on screen, streamers pour over the audience during a song’s “climactic” moment, bubbles fill the air, kazoos are blown, vampire teeth are worn, underwear is thrown (don’t ask) and the audience cheers the heroes, lusts after sexy vampire Spike, and implores Buffy’s little sister, Dawn, to just “shut up!”

In addition to the musical episode, audience members also show off their own acting skills with Buffy-oke and try their hand at a clip-filled trivia contest.

Tickets also may be purchased by calling the Penobscot Theatre box office at 942-3333, (877) PTC-TIXX or at www.penobscottheatre.org.

Hermon

Wreath workshop

Armand O’Clair of Ecotat Gardens is offering a workshop in which participants will create a wreath of freshly gathered hydrangea blossoms. Because the hydrangeas did not bloom as early as in past years, the workshop is rescheduled to 9-11 a.m. or 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, and 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Ecotat Gardens, Route 2 and Annis Road. The cost of the workshop is $20 with all materials supplied. To register, call 848-3603 or 848-5946.

Orono

‘Let’s Talk About It’ book group

The Orono Public Library has been selected by the Maine Humanities Council to offer a “Let’s Talk About It” free reading and discussion group with copies of books available through the library.

The series, “The Mirror of Maine: The Maine Community in Myth and Reality” with discussion leader Judy Hakola begins with a 3:30-5:30 p.m. session Thursday, Sept. 27, at the Inn at Dirigo Pines Retirement Community.

The series will continue for five sessions, meeting at the same place and same time Thursdays, Oct. 25, Nov. 29, Jan. 31 and Feb. 28.

Residents of Orono and nearby communities are invited to participate. Participants also may attend any or all of the meetings. For information, call the Orono Public Library at 866-5060.

Copies of the first book will be available for loan at the library. Copies of the second book will be available at the first meeting. The series is sponsored by the Maine Humanities Council through a grant to the Orono Public Library.

Books to be discussed in the series are:

. Sept. 27, “The Weir” by Ruth Moore.

. Oct. 15, “A Maine Hamlet” by Lura Beam.

. Nov. 29, “Twelve Journeys in Maine” by Wes McNair.

. Jan. 31, “Empire Falls” by Richard Russo.

. Feb. 28, “Maine Speaks: An Anthology of Maine Literature.”

Verona Island

Crafters

Members of the Verona Island Women’s Club is seeking creative people to participate in its Christmas Craft Fair to be held 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Verona Island town hall. Call Cora Webster at 469-3740 or Marlene Smith, 469-7992, to arrange table rental. The cost is $15 per table, or $7.50 for a half table.