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Bangor

Spring floral arrangements

The Bangor Garden Club will meet at 1 p.m. Monday, April 7, at Hannaford’s training center on Texas Avenue.

Members are asked to bring spring floral arrangements to be reviewed by Sandra Blake Leonard, master flower show judge. Prospective members are welcome to attend. For information, call Darlene Carr at 843-5537.

Historical book talk

Author and Maine historian Bill Sawtell will appear at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 5, in the Lecture Hall at Bangor Public Library. Sawtell, who has written histories of Milo, Brownville, Greenville and Corinna, will introduce his latest book, “Old Sebec, Volume II,” and give an address on the history of Katahdin Iron Works. Sawtell’s books will be available for purchase and signing.

‘Maine Landscapes’

The public is invited to hear Kevin Shields speak on “Maine Landscapes” at the Eastern Maine Camera Club at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at Parks and Recreation, 647 Main St.

Shields, a well-known photographer for Down East magazine, has been photographing the Maine landscape for 20 years. His images of Maine and other parts of the United States are included in magazines, books, calendars and postcards.

Helping Bangor Ballet

The New Moon Restaurant has joined the effort to support the dancers of Bangor Ballet in reaching their goal of raising $40,000 for a French cultural exchange trip.

The trip will take Bangor dancers to Paris and Vendome this spring, where they will present a collaborative performance of “The Little Mermaid” with the dancers of Danse d’Expression while experiencing French culture and life. In the true spirit of exchange, in 2009 the French dancers anticipate traveling to Maine for another collaborative performance and to learn about life in the United States.

The New Moon will offer a four-course French cuisine dinner accompanied by a French wine-tasting experience. Each course will include information about the accompanying wine and why it is chosen to go with that particular food.

The fundraising event will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, April 18, at New Moon. The cost is $65 a person, and proceeds will go to the Bangor Ballet French Cultural Exchange Fund.

Reservations may be made by calling New Moon at 990-2233.

Foster and adoptive care

The Bangor office of the Department of Health and Human Services will host a public informational meeting about adoption and foster care 1-3 p.m. Friday, April 4, in Bangor. For meeting location and signup, call A Family For ME at 877-505-0545.

Those considering adoption or foster care through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services are encouraged to attend.

Benefit salsa dance

PICA, or Peace through Interamerican Community Action, will sponsor a benefit salsa dance led by instructor Silvana Cuello on Saturday, April 5, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 120 Park St. A free salsa lesson will take place at 7 p.m. Dancing is 8-11 p.m. Admission is $10, $5 students, free to children under 12.

In Bangor’s Sister City of Carasque, El Salvador, education is one of the highest priorities. But the cost of high school and university education is more than many families can afford. To enable youth to continue education beyond elementary school, Carasque and several neighboring towns have developed a scholarship fund, which PICA helps support.

Proceeds will be sent to El Salvador for the scholarship fund and will be distributed jointly through the community councils and parish to which Carasque belongs to youth from Carasque and neighboring communities. For information, call 947-4203, info@pica.ws.

Discovery Day

The fourth annual Discovery Day for pregnant or parenting mothers age 21 and under is scheduled for 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, April 14, at the Maine Discovery Museum.

This free day of fun and exploration features opportunities for young pregnant and parenting moms to learn new ideas about parenting, discover new things about themselves, find out about community resources and have fun exploring the Maine Discovery Museum.

The day offers assistance with transportation and free child care, and will feature a keynote presentation by Eric Taylor, “Play for the Day.” Participants will engage in activities they can take home and recreate with their children.

Register by calling Laurie at 973-3580 or Crystal at 973-3581 or toll-free 1-888-369-3610. Space is limited to 60 registrants.

Discovery Day is organized by the Parents Are Teachers, Too Coalition consisting of The Acadia Hospital, Bangor Public Health Nursing, Good Samaritan Agency, Maine Discovery Museum, Penquis Parents are Teachers, Too, Penquis Autism Community Services, Penquis Dispute Resolution Center, Penquis Health Services, River Coalition, Spruce Run, and Rape Response.

Discovery Day sponsors are Acadia Hospital, Bangor Hydro, Grace United Methodist Church, Maine Discovery Museum, Olive Garden, Papa John’s Pizza, Penquis Parents Are Teachers, Too, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maine and Unifirst Corp.

Many local businesses have donated free items in support of the workshops and activities of the day, including Hannaford, Sam’s Club, Shaw’s, Snowman Printing and University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

Managing money lecture

Join the Maine Women’s Fund for an informative evening, “How Not to Become Your Child’s Banker,” 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at the Unitarian Universalist Society church, 120 Park St.

Event sponsor and speaker is Judy Groth, senior financial adviser with Groth & Associates, a financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services Inc.

The next workshop, “Raising Smart Money Managers,” is set for 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at the same location. Lucie Estabrook, a trust officer with Merrill Bank, will focus on how parents can help their children understand how to use credit wisely, and how to start saving. Explore the true costs of credit, learn how credit scores work and why they are so important.

Both events are free to the public with childcare available. Light refreshments will be served. To RSVP, e-mail brianna@mainewomensfund.org.

Brewer

Longaberger basket bingo

Families And Children Together will present an afternoon of Longaberger Basket Bingo 1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at the Brewer Eagles Club, 22 Atlantic Ave.

Tickets are $10 each and include 15 games of bingo. Two special black-out games, raffles, thank you gifts and refreshments are available. To order tickets, call 941-2347.

FACT was created in 1993 by a group of foster parents and social workers. The group’s mission was, and remains, creating a family-focused agency that encourages and fosters the development and healing of children facing emotional and behavioral challenges.

All proceeds directly benefit the programs of FACT. To learn more about programs, visit www.familiesandchildren.org.

Old Town

Spring Flingo bingo

Come ring in spring with the Rotary Club of Old Town and Spring Flingo bingo Sunday, April 6, Elks Club bingo hall, Fourth Street Extension.

Participants will play 15 games and vie for a basket of products featured by one of the following home-based businesses: Warm Spirit, Mary Kay, Arbonne, The Body Shop at Home, Home Interior, At Home America, The Pampered Chef, Silpada Jewelry, Longaberger, Tupperware, Avon and more.

The cost of admission is $15 per person. Doors open at noon, games start at 1 p.m. Desserts will be served.

Orono

AAU used book sale

The American Association of University Women, Penobscot Valley, will hold its annual used book sale 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at the Church of Universal Fellowship, 82 Main St.

Those who wish may shop early, from 8 to 9 a.m. for a fee of $10.

Peggy Hallee’s light lunch and snack bar with take-out will be available.

The event benefits programs and scholarships for local women and girls. To donate books or to obtain information, call 866-4193.

UMaine Planetarium shows

The hit show “Black Holes” and the kiddie flight of fancy “Wilbear’s Adventure” will surround audiences at the Jordan Planetarium in Wingate Hall at the University of Maine. Both programs feature the new Omnidome full-dome system, but “Black Holes” offers dramatic sweeping space travel at 7 p.m. Saturdays, while “Wilbear’s Adventure” introduces children age 4 to 7 to the dream of flight through the aspirations of a cartoon teddy bear, Wilbear, at 2 p.m. Sundays.

Black holes have been known to exist for only about 15 years, and each year brings new understanding of where and what they are. Narrated by “Star Trek: Next Generation” star John de Lancie, the program enlightens visitors as they fly through space witnessing the destructive power of these unusual objects.

The predictive theories of Albert Einstein and the science fantasy of warp travel through worm holes are just two of the mind-boggling explorations that make “Black Holes” a profound experience.

The Omnidome system transforms the planetarium into an exciting space-time travel adventure, bending light, skewing perception and even taking visitors inside a black hole.

A live tour of the spring sky will prepare visitors to explore the mystery of the Maine sky right outside their windows.

The littlest star gazers will discover the fun and history of flight at 2 p.m. Sundays in “Wilbear’s Adventure.” It celebrates the Wright brothers’ famous flight through the inspired dreams of a teddy bear who wishes he could fly. Live demonstrations help youngsters grasp the basics of powered flight, and Wilbear’s grandpa introduces the imaginative characters in the stars we call constellations.

All showings are about one hour long. Admission is $3 and seating is limited. Reservations are recommended, 581-1341 or visit www.galaxymaine.com.

Antler Hunt

With the help of retired biologist Jerry Longcore, Bangor Land Trust, will conduct an antler hunt 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 5.

By searching areas inhabited in late fall and early winter by deer, the sun-bleached, whitish antlers can be found. With many deer on Marsh Island, a search in April in appropriate habitat should reveal antlers.

Meet at the Huber Resources parking lot – take Route 2 through Orono toward Old Town. Huber is on the left across from the Sunkhaze Refuge headquarters, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, before you go down the hill to the mill.

The land trust is seeking volunteers for biological inventories this spring. The primary tasks are an inventory of vernal pools and a woodcock survey. Both activities will involve a preliminary training session, followed by field work to conduct the inventory or survey.

The vernal pool inventory informational session will be held 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Orono Town Council Chambers. The outdoor training session date will be announced in mid-April. Field work is set for 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 10, on the Bangor Land Trust properties.

Woodcock survey training is set for 6:45 p.m. Friday, May 16, at Walden-Parke Preserve. Field work is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at Walden-Parke.

To volunteer, call Lyndsey Marston at 942-1010 or e-mail info@bangorlandtrust.org.