Residents of the Jonesboro-Whitneyville area have an opportunity to be part of a very special event hosted by two very special organizations.

Suzanne Plaisted wrote that the Jonesboro Parent-Teacher Association and the Whitneyville Library Association are co-sponsoring the ninth annual Pot of Gold Dinner and Auction beginning with a baked ham dinner “with all the fixings” at 5 p.m., followed by a silent auction at 6 p.m. and a live auction at 6:45 p.m. Saturday, March 15, in the Jonesboro Elementary School gymnasium.

Admission for the dinner is $7 for adults and $3 for children, and tickets will be sold at the door. There is no admission for the auction.

“The superb cooks” representing the WLA will be serving dinner, Plaisted wrote, and then you can participate in three “lightning rounds of PTA silent auction bidding” on more than “100 fabulous items generously donated” by area business owners.

Featured in the live auction will be “sports-related items including donations by the Boston Red Sox and Portland Sea Dogs” baseball teams.

Plaisted explained that the hosts “intend for the event to provide an opportunity for families to have a pleasant meal and enjoy the evening with friends, neighbors and classmates, as well as to raise funds for our many worthwhile projects.”

She then went on to explain that “the Jonesboro PTA, the oldest PTA in the state of Maine, was organized in 1949 and has been active ever since.

“After nearly 60 years, the Jonesboro PTA continues to promote home, school and community cooperation to benefit the education of the youth of Jonesboro.”

Plaisted wrote that the WLA, “incorporated in 1966, has provided book-loan and literacy services to the school for many years, so it seemed natural for the two organizations to work together on this event.”

Of course, the one line in Plaisted’s letter that really caught my eye was the line containing the words “the oldest PTA” in Maine.

In this business, I have learned, you always have to watch out for words such as “oldest.”

So I e-mailed Plaisted, and asked for an explanation of that statement, which she very kindly provided.

Plaisted told me she “spoke with a former JES PTA president to confirm our ‘oldest’ status.

“Between 15-20 years ago,” Plaisted wrote, “the officers of the Jonesboro PTA were invited to speak at a state PTA conference because Jonesboro PTA was, at that time, the oldest continuing PTA in the state.”

Plaisted wrote the former JES PTA president “stressed that our claim to fame is in our continuing status. We are the ‘oldest continuing PTA in the state of Maine.’

“Others may have been established longer but have had lapses in active membership.

“We have not had a lapse in activity since then, so I am assuming that we still retain that title.”

Let’s hope this event, to benefit what is believed to be the oldest continuing PTA in Maine, and the Whitneyville Library Association, is a great success!

Bangor Nature Club board member Ella Waitt of Hampden invites guests and new members to join BNC members at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, at First Congregational Church of Brewer, 35 Church Street.

Waitt reports the guest speaker will be Clair Wood, who will discuss the celestial calendar, and Waitt wants those who plan to attend to know that refreshments will be served.

Karen Higgins reports the Bangor Area Breakfast Rotary’s third annual All That Jazz Concert is 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at Peakes Auditorium in Bangor High School.

Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door or can be obtained from any Bangor Breakfast Rotary member.

Ticket sale proceeds benefit the Masonic Learning Center for Children in Bangor.

In addition, Higgins wrote, the Rotary has secured sponsorship donations from local business owners to benefit the musical groups appearing in the concert. Each group receives $1,000.

The audience will also vote for the best performance by the participants, and that group will receive an additional $2,000.

The groups “have identified specific needs” for the use of those funds, such as scholarships, new instruments and travel expenses for out-of-state competition, Higgins explained.

Appearing in the concert will be the Bangor High School Concert Band, the Old Town High School Concert Band, the Hampden Academy Jazz Ensemble and Hampden Academy Voices Unlimited.

Higgins added “people really enjoy this event, and the area schools benefit” from the cash awards.

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