Orono-Old Town Kiwanis members should take great pride in the fact their major fundraiser is still as strong as ever, and they invite you to their 62nd annual Orono-Old Town Kiwanis Charity Auction.

Gates open for the auction at 5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, July 17-19, at the Kiwanis Auction Barn on Forest Avenue in Orono.

“Get genuine bargains in the Book, Toy, and Trash and Treasure barns,” wrote veteran Kiwanian and auction volunteer George Gonyar who, with many fellow Kiwanians, has become a fixture at this extraordinary fundraiser, now in its sixth decade.

You will also find “new and used items, including furniture, cars, bikes, lawnmowers and local business gift certificates and merchandise under the auction tent,” he wrote.

Gonyar hopes you enjoy the auction, chaired by Steve Colburn, and that you patronize the “mammoth raffle and food sale on Saturday.” And, Gonyar promises, “you’ll have a great time!”

Woodlawn Museum executive director Joshua Campbell Torrance reports the museum and the city of Ellsworth recreation committee have organized a series of six pickup games of Town Ball. Anyone of any age and ability is invited to participate.

Each event begins with orientation at 6:15 p.m. and the games at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, starting July 17, at Woodlawn, Route 172 in Ellsworth.

Doug and Betsy

Arntzen will teach the first two Thursdays. Experience

is not required, and you

can either play or watch.

The 1 1/2-hour games of Town Ball, similar to softball and baseball, continue on July 24, July 31, Aug. 7, Aug. 21 and Aug. 28.

For more information, call 667-8671 or visit www.woodlawn

museum.org.

The next in the series of Summer Concerts in The Park, hosted by Old Town Public Library, is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, at Old Town Riverfront Park.

The program features the Maine community Dirigo Wind Band, directed by Dr. Fred Heath.

Anne Schmidt reminds readers that “Twelfth Night,” produced by Ten Bucks Theatre Company, is 6 p.m. July 18-19 and 24-26, and 4 p.m. July 20 and 27, at Indian Trail Park in Brewer.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the box office, and a half-hour before each show at the park.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Maine 2008 Fantasy Auction is 5:30 p.m. Friday, July 18, at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, reports Jim Christie.

The cost is $100 each, including dinner and the opportunity to bid on more than 70 live and silent auction items ranging from baseball, basketball and football tickets, to artwork and two weeks in Mexico.

For reservations, call 236-3171 or visit www.Maine.wish.org.

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Since the Maine chapter was founded in 1992, wishes have been granted to more than 700 children in all 16 Maine counties.

To refer a child, support or learn more about the organization, call the number or visit the Web site above.

The Hermon Alumni All-Classes Reunion 2008 begins with a free record hop 7-11 p.m. Friday, July 18, at Hermon Middle School.

The reunion continues with Meet Me for Breakfast, 5:30-9 a.m. Saturday, July 19, at Hermon Family Restaurant or Dysart’s.

A 3K road race is 8:30 a.m. that day, and more information is available by calling Riley Donovan at 615-1151.

Guided tours of HMS and HHS are 9 a.m.; the $12-each reservations-required reunion luncheon is noon at HMS; a bus tour of Hermon leaves at 2 p.m. from HMS; and the event concludes with the Reunion Evening Social at 7 that night at Spectacular Event Center, 395 Griffin Road in Bangor. Admission is $25 and reservations required.

For more information, call Diana Richardson, 848-3040, Sharon Nickerson, 848-3641, or Susan Starbird, 862-6262.

Nan Cobbey reports visitors to the next Belfast Garden Club Open Garden Days “should expect music, maybe some iced tea, two watercolorists and a woodcarver at work,” but that “the main show will be the 300 to 400 varieties of hosta and abundant day lilies.”

Visit the garden of Ron Dow 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, July 18, at 194 Back Belmont Road in Belfast.

The suggested admission is a donation of $3, and a list of all garden tours, including directions, is available at local businesses, www.belfastgardenclub.org or inside the decorative birdhouse at Post Office Square in Belfast.

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