Bangor

Art in the Heart exhibit

Art in the Heart, a group of artists and art educators, will show work at Bangor Public Library beginning Tuesday, March 4. The artists offer an exuberant and eclectic collection that has something exciting for everyone. An opening reception will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 6.

Dixmont artist Ellen Gronlie will display her work in the library’s Stairwell Gallery. Her exhibit, “Ancient Dreams,” features paintings and drawings, Egyptian and Asian-inspired works that will be shown throughout March.

‘A Thinking Heart’

A live performance of “The Thinking Heart” will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 8, in the Bangor Public Library’s Lecture Hall.

“The Thinking Heart” is a performance piece for two voices and cello. It is based on the journal and diary of Etty Hillesum, a Jewish woman who lived in Amsterdam during the Nazi occupation and died at Auschwitz at the age of 29.

“The Thinking Heart” is an original arrangement of Hillesum’s journal and letters, translated and transformed into poetry by Martin Steingesser.

Poet Judy Tierney will present the work, accompanied by Robin Jellis on cello.

The performance is made possible by a grant to the Bangor Public Library from the Maine Humanities Council.

Youth-focused film night

Youth Adelantando’s first installment of monthly youth-focused film nights will be a showing of “Tough Guise” in celebration of International Women’s Day.

“Tough Guise” (not rated) is a film that considers the definition of contemporary masculinity and how it affects society. The show is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at the Peace and Justice Center, 170 Park St. The event is free and open to all ages. For more information, e-mail hazel@pica.ws.

Youth Adelantando (youth moving forward) is the youth group of Peace through Interamerican Community Action, or PICA.

Shakespeare at UCB

Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” will be performed by the New England touring troupe Shakespeare and Company at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 15, in the Tracy Gran Ballroom, University College of Bangor. The performance is free and open to the public.

Mimicking Shakespeare’s own touring productions, the tour by Shakespeare and Company includes just seven actors playing multiple roles with minimal sets. The tour is funded through the National Endowment for the Arts.

Adoption and foster care

The Bangor office of the state Department of Health and Human Services will hold a public meeting about adoption and foster care at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 3. For the meeting location and to participate, call A Family for ME at 877-505-0545.

Anniversary of Iraq War

The Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine will sponsor a series of events to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq during March.

A Chain of Concern will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 15, forming at the Paul Bunyan statue on Main Street in Bangor and up the street to the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter.

The Chain of Concern is one of the From Every Village Green events being held in every Maine county. These events are in support of the Winter Soldier Hearings, held March 12-16 and sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War near Washington. Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will testify about the reality of the war, organizers said, as Vietnam veterans did at Winter Soldier Hearings in l971.

For information, visit www.everyvillage-me.us.

For Bangor events, visit www.peacectr.org or call 942-9343.

Entrepreneurship Week

“Entrepreneurship is vital to the state of Maine’s growth and prosperity,” according to a proclamation issued by Maine Gov. John Baldacci to mark Entrepreneurship Week, Feb. 24 to March 1.

Entrepreneurs like Janyce Boynton of Bangor couldn’t agree more.

“It’s great that our state can take this week to publicly appreciate the hard work, energy and creative spirit that it takes to start a business,” said Boynton, owner of Sojourn Quilts.

Women, Work and Community has helped support entrepreneurship for some 24 years and joins the governor and other organizations around the state in celebrating the spirit of entrepreneurship in Maine. Women, Work and Community’s featured events include “How to Start an Artist/Artisan Cooperative,” a practical workshop that was broadcast to sites around the state on Feb. 26.

New Ventures guides new and start-up entrepreneurs step-by-step to a written business plan.

For a complete listing of offerings, visit www.womenworkandcommunity.org.

Basics of home buying

MaineStream Finance will offer a free 12-hour certified training course to help potential home buyers make prudent home purchasing decisions. Classes will be held 5:30-8:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, March 10, 11, 12 and 13, at Penquis, 262 Harlow St. Participants must attend all classes.

A qualified trainer conducts the course and discusses the roles of various professionals involved in the home buying process, such as attorneys, realtors, lenders, insurance agents and home inspectors. Components of this course are budget and debt management counseling and credit counseling.

There is no cost to participate, but registration is required.

Call MaineStream Finance at 974-2424, 800-215-4942, Ext. 424 or e-mail fperry@penquis.org for more information or to register.

Child care referral list

Free child care referrals from the Penquis Child Care Resource Development Center are available for families in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

Parents searching for a safe and healthy environment for their child will be provided with a checklist of questions to ask a prospective provider and things to look for when visiting child care programs.

The Penquis center provides a referral list, but does not make recommendations. Families make their own choices. All information is confidential and an experienced referral specialist is ready to help. Contact the Penquis Child Care Resource Development Center at 888-917-1100 or www.penquis.org/rdc for more information.

Art exhibit applications

Eastern Maine Community College is seeking art exhibit applications for the 2008-2009 academic year.

The EMCC Library Gallery schedules four public exhibits per year in two-month time slots: September-October, November-December, January-February and May-June.

Artists working in all media and art forms are encouraged to apply. For an application and exhibit criteria, call 974-4604 or visit www.emcc.edu and navigate to the library tab on the main menu.

Brewer

Brewer Hometown Band

The Brewer Hometown Band is planning a concert sure to wash away the winter blahs. It is having a beach party at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 16, at the Brewer Auditorium.

The concert will be devoted to water tunes, such as “Lake Wobegon,” a new Gordon Bowie march, “Lazy River,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Blue Danube” and many more. The band will wear a distinctive “uniform of the day.”

The program will offer a variety of musical styles, the decor will take the audience to the water’s edge, and refreshments and door prizes will be on the menu. Bring a friend or two and be at the Brewer Auditorium. Bring nonperishable food items for the less fortunate.

Kiwanis news

At a recent meeting of the Brewer Kiwanis Club, Lt. Gov. Bud Bruns, New England District, Division 3, was introduced, and he gave greetings from Gov. John Maihos. He brought the club up to date as to New England District happenings.

There will be a mid-winter conference March 7-9 in Worcester, Mass., and registration materials are available.

There was an interclub from the Orono-Old Town Club consisting of President John McDonough and wife Claire, Mike Pullen and Larry Wade. Other guests included Danny Maher.

Speaker chairman Kurtis Marsh introduced Kelly Fulton, of Blue Sky Environmental, who spoke about radon, a naturally occurring radioactive odorless and colorless gas that causes cancer.

Radon can be safely removed with approved and effective systems costing typically in the range of $1,200 to $3,000, Marsh said. Radon mitigation companies are required to be registered by the state.

Brewer Kiwanis meets at 6 p.m. two Wednesdays a month at the Muddy Rudder. The Kiwanis motto is “Serving the Children of the World.”

Efforts to end hunger

A ceremony was held Feb. 27 at Bangor Federal Credit Union in Brewer to distribute funds raised by the credit union’s Ending Hunger Committee for area food cupboards.

A record-setting $11,500 was raised in 2007 by Bangor Federal Credit Union employees through raffles, bake sales, dress-down days and a yard sale. The Good Shepherd Food Bank will receive a check for $6,500. Organizations receiving a check for $1,000 each are: Amazing Grace Food Pantry, Ecumenical Food Cupboard, Cross Roads Ministry, Brewer Christian Food Cupboard and Seeds of Hope Food Pantry.

Stacey Young, chairwoman for the credit union’s Ending Hunger Committee, said, “With the skyrocketing costs of oil, many folks are being made to choose between heating their homes or eating. With so many people needing food cupboard assistance, we really want to stretch our contribution as far as we can.

“That’s why when choosing the recipients of our donation, we purposely selected Good Shepherd Food Bank and food cupboards that are affiliated with them,” she said. “Good Shepherd Food Bank can stretch a $1 donation into $12 worth of food. In effect, they and those who work with them can turn our $11,500 donation into $138,000 in food.”

For more information, visit www.bangorfcu.com.

Holden

Fun at Fields Pond

Mark the calendar for these programs sponsored by Fields Pond Audubon Center:

. Field trip to Schoodic Point, 8:30 a.m. Saturday, March 1. Storm date March 2. Led by Leah Culp, wildlife biologist; and Judy Markowsky, director of Fields Pond. Meet at Fields Pond to carpool. The cost is $10 Audubon members, $18 others. Register and pay in advance. 989-2591 or e-mail jmarkowsky@maineaudubon.org.

. Penobscot Valley Chapter Program: “Invasive Plant Species” with horticulturist and Master Gardener Reeser Manley, 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 7, Fields Pond Audubon Center. Free. While habitat loss from urban sprawl poses the biggest threat to native flora and fauna, biologists consider invasive species to be a significant and growing menace. Often, these invasive species escaped from intentional plantings in backyard gardens.

. Children’s drawing class with teacher Carolyn Wallace-Zani for ages 4-10, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 8, at Fields Pond. The cost is $10 members, $12 others

. Art lessons for adults: Drawing from nature, 11 a.m.-noon, Saturday, March 8, at Fields Pond Audubon Center, with teacher Carolyn Wallace-Zani. The cost is $10 per lesson for members, $12 others.

Learn drawing techniques to capture the essence of the local fauna and flora species. Bring a regular school pencil, sketch pad, eraser and enthusiasm for drawing and nature.

Old Town

Democratic Committee

The monthly meeting of the Old Town Democratic Committee is held the second Monday of each month. The next meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday, March 10, at the PACE local union hall, 137 Main St.

Orono

Talk on Brownie Schrumpf

The lecture on Brownie Schrumpf, “If Maine Had a Queen,” has been rescheduled to 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 2, in the dining room at Dirigo Pines, Alumni Drive.

Historian and author Karen Tolstrup will share stories and images from her forthcoming book about Brownie. She will invite recollections from the audience. The event is one of a series of monthly public forums sponsored by the Dr. Edith Marion Patch Center for Entomology, the Environment and Education. For information about the presentation, the forum series, or the Patch Center, contact Mary Bird at 866-2578 or mary.bird@umit.maine.edu.