People are certainly becoming more creative in calling attention to their fundraisers, and I offer a tip of the old pressman’s hat to members of the Orono Public Library Foundation for its latest effort to increase awareness of, and raise funds for, construction of a new library.

OPL youth services librarian Laurie Rose wrote that the Orono Public Library Foundation is “calling all shovels!”

The request is for community members “to drop off their old shovels at the library,” currently located at Orono High School, so library volunteers can “paint the handles red to promote the new library,” Rose explained.

“The shovels will then be planted” in the donor’s front yard “as a visual indication that the campaign is near the end, and that groundbreaking will take place as soon as all of the funds are raised,” she continued.

Rose explained the group has raised $1.8 million, but still is $400,000 short of its goal.

“This amount needs to be raised within the next four months in order to begin construction this summer,” Rose emphasized.

She also wants OPL supporters to know members of the OPL Foundation steering committee will be participating in a phonathon from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, “to solicit funds from the community … in the hope of getting closer” to its $2.2 million goal.

For information about this project and how you can help, call the library at 866-5060.

Here’s a last-minute valentine gift idea from Carol Good, president of Friends of Belfast Parks.

She suggests that “instead of buying your sweetheart fattening chocolates or expensive flowers,” you make “a valentine donation in her or his name for that beautiful dog in your lives for the future Belfast dog park.”

Visit the FOBP Web site, http://www.fobp.org/belfastdogpark.html, for information about the dog park and how to make a donation.

“Friends of Belfast Parks needs your help,” Good wrote of the organization’s effort to construct a dog park in that city.

For information, call Good at 338-1704.

Julie Arnold Lisnet reports Ten Bucks Theatre has added performance dates for “Fawlty Towers Meets Month Python, Part Duh (This Time It’s Personal!).”

Performances are 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, and Saturday, Feb. 16, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, at Between Friends Art Center, formerly Center Mall Antiques, 39 Center St., Brewer.

Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for children and students. College students must have a school ID.

Call 884-1030 for information and tickets or purchase them at Between Friends or by calling 989-7100.

You can help others keep warm this winter by attending the Winterfest 2008 Snow Ball, 7-11 p.m. Saturday Feb. 16, at the Muddy Rudder in Brewer.

Jennifer Brooks of Penquis in Bangor reports tickets are $25 for couples, $15 for singles or $100 for tables for eight.

Tickets can be reserved by calling 974-2402 or visiting www.penquis.org.

Proceeds benefit the Penquis Keep ME Warm Fund.

The Bangor City Republican Committee invites members of the public to attend the Lincoln Dinner beginning with a social-networking hour at 6 p.m. and the dinner at 7 p.m. Wednesday Feb. 20, at Wellman Commons on the campus of the former Bangor Theological Seminary in Bangor.

Sen. Susan Collins is the keynote speaker for this traditional community event.

Admission is $40 for adults and $25 for students, and tickets can be purchased, online, at www.gopbangor.com or by calling Cary Weston at 478-5720.

The Husson College women’s basketball team and the Bangor Bears 9th-10th grade girls team invite 7th-8th and 9th-10th grade girls’ basketball teams to participate in the John Doucette Memorial Tournament.

The entry deadline for the tournament, which is March 1-2 at Husson College in Bangor, is Friday, Feb. 22, and the cost is $175 per team.

Proceeds benefit the John Doucette Bangor High School Sports Scholarship Fund, the Husson College women’s basketball team, and the Bangor Snow Bears AAU 15-and-under basketball team.

Emily Ellis reports the first six teams in each division are secured and additional teams will be added as time allows.

Entrants are guaranteed three games on Saturday consisting of two 20-minute halves of running time, except for the last two minutes.

The Sunday, single-elimination tournament, will be based on Saturday’s results but each team is guaranteed at least one game on Sunday.

To register, call Ellis at 852-7691 or e-mail emy40@aol.com.

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