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Bangor

Maine Troop Greeters

The Maine Troop Greeters at Bangor International Airport found much to cheer about in June. On June 7, Spc. Bretton Varn, returning from duty overseas, was handed a cell phone by one of our Maine Troop Greeters to call home to talk with his mother, Patti Patton-Bader.

“What a wonderful gift it was to hear my son’s voice the minute he stepped onto American soil,” said Patton-Bader. She is the founder of Soldier’s Angels, an internationally recognized nonprofit organization providing support to our troops and their families in all branches of the military.

Soldier’s Angels decided to donate $5,000 to the Maine Troop Greeters to assist in their efforts to provide support to all troops returning or leaving through Bangor International Airport.

A volunteer organization 211 members strong, Maine Troop Greeters has to deal with the logistics of notifying members when flights are confirmed.

On June 11, Maine Troop Greeters decided to sign on with a calling tree service, Call-Em-All. The company’s owner, Brad Herrmann stated, “When I went to the Maine Troop Greeter’s Web site and shared the information with my employees, we were all in agreement that Call-Em-All would be very excited to assist the greeters with their program.”

The company has donated 10,000 free calls to the organization along with a discounted call rate. Thanks to Call-Em-All, the Maine Troop Greeters now have a more efficient way of contacting all greeters for troop flights.

To date, 3,384 flights, 683,000 troops and 116 service dogs have been hosted by the Maine Troop Greeters at Bangor International Airport.

The mission of the Maine Troop Greeters is to express the nation’s – and our – gratitude and appreciation to the troops, for those going overseas for a safe return and for those returning for a joyful homecoming, and to make their brief stay in Bangor as comfortable and pleasant as possible.

Bangor Area Children’s Choir

If your child or children love to sing and would like to have an extra, fun choral experience for the coming year, Bangor Area Children’s Choir may be the place for you.

The Bangor Area Children’s Choirs, a nonprofit, nonsectarian community organization, was organized as a single treble choir in 1992 and is not affiliated with any church or public school. Last year its members represented 12 towns and 17 schools from Greater Bangor.

Goals of BACC include provision of enriching choral experiences and a commitment to challenging choral repertoire for those especially talented young people who meet audition requirements.

BACC accepts into its membership qualified candidates regardless of race, creed, national origin or religious persuasion, and its repertoire often reflects that cultural diversity.

BACC is a two-choir program comprising the training choir and the advanced Youth Chorale.

The choir comprises all treble voices – that is, unchanged voices. It follows the organizational guidelines of most established children’s choirs: A singer will be no younger than 9 years old as of Dec. 1, 2008, and no older than 16 as of Oct. 1, 2009. She or he will sing in the treble voice range to audition for the choir.

Auditions for the choir are set for 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 540 Essex St., Bangor. Singers who pass this audition must return the next day for a group audition, 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, at Redeemer Lutheran.

Events for the 2008-2009 choir season include a winter concert on Sunday, Feb. 8, with the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra; a family night of socializing and singing on Friday, Feb. 27; a Saturday, March 21, day of singing together in the Bangor area; school assemblies on Friday, April 3, and a spring concert on Sunday, April 5, with the Jubilation Ringers, a hand-bell choir with whom BACC has performed on previous occasions.

For information, contact BACC Treble Choir director Michele Hall at 947-2023 or michelehall@bangorareachildrenschoir.com.

For a glimpse of the program, view the Web site: www.bangorareachildrenschoir.com.

If your child is age 12 or older and has had choral singing experience, she or he may be eligible for the BACC Youth Chorale. Thursday through Sunday, April 22-26, the Youth Chorale will travel to New York City for the Heritage Music Festival and fun in the Big Apple.

Come to our Cabaret concert

The Bangor Community Chorus and its conductor, Joshua Schmersal, invite the public to its Come to our Cabaret concert 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at First Baptist Church, 56 Center St. Colin Graebert will serve as accompanist for the chorus.

A spaghetti supper will be served 5-7 p.m., with the concert afterward. The cost of admission is $10.

Pathfinders program for grieving children

Pathfinders: Support for Grieving Children, has announced its fall session, beginning Monday, Sept. 29, and concluding Monday, Dec. 1.

Weekly sessions will be held 6-7:30 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Essex Street in Bangor. Visit www.pathfindersmaine.org for location directions.

Pathfinders offers this 10-week session to provide grief support for children and their families or caregivers who are experiencing the death of a loved one.

Adults who attend with children meet in their own groups. Teens can attend on their own as long as they have the consent of their caregiver.

Celebrating its 14th year, Pathfinders was founded by Maria Brountas and the late Barbara Eames.

The program provides special bereavement support geared specifically for children, beginning at age 4 through young adults.

To help defray costs, there is a $50 fee per family, with a limited number of scholarships available.

Volunteer facilitators are specially trained to meet the needs of grieving children and their adult caregivers.

Training will begin on Saturday, Sept. 13. For more information on attending a session or volunteering, contact Linda Boyle at 973-8269.

Pathfinders is a program of Bangor Area Visiting Nurses and part of Eastern Maine Healthcare System.

Through its members across the region, EMHS advocates on behalf of our communities with an integrated, tireless and passionate voice. Member organizations share common values and work together to ensure that the highest quality care is available to all.

Benefit for Salvation Army

A lasagna dinner and film will be presented on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Columbia Street Baptist Church. The dinner begins at 5 p.m., and the movie, “Molder of Dreams” with Guy Doud, at 7 p.m.

Suggested donation is $5 for adults, $2.50 children 5-12, free for children under 5. Proceeds will benefit The Salvation Army heating oil assistance program.

Quilt raffle

Bear Paws Quilters invites the public to stop by The Cotton Cupboard, 1213 Broadway, to view the group’s custom-quilted, queen-size sampler quilt which is being raffled to benefit local charities.

Tickets are $1, six for $5. The winning ticket will be drawn Wednesday, Oct. 1. Viewing dates are Aug. 14-Aug. 30. The shop is open 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.

New City Hall employees

New employees for the city of Bangor are:

Police: Patrol officers Jamie Fanning, Mark Fucile, Daniel Sanborn and Brian Smith Jr.

Park and Recreation: Hired seasonally, Alex Foley, Mary Boyce, Hali Fleishman, Thomas True and Joanne Tsang.

Engineering: Daniel Merrill, assistant harbor master.

In addition, Melissa Scull has been promoted to switchboard operator in the city clerk’s office.

Brewer

Potluck picnic

The Star Amateur Radio Club invites ham radio operators to its potluck picnic 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, at the VFW Hall, Center Street. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided. Bring a dish to share and an item for a silent auction.

Stuff the Bus

School supplies wanted – participate in the Stuff the Bus campaign sponsored by Penquis, Z107.3 and Wal-Mart, being conducted 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, at the Brewer Super Wal-Mart. Cyr Bus Lines donated the use of a bus for the event.

The school supplies will be distributed to youth residing in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

The National Retail Foundation estimates that parents will spend nearly $600 per child this year for back-to-school items, an expense that can represent a hardship for many families.

Help Stuff the Bus by donating school supplies during the event.

Eddington

Trashcan Turkey supper

The Eddington-Clifton Civic Center will hold its Trashcan Turkey supper with seatings at 5 and 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at Comins Hall, 1387 Main Road, in Eddington.

Tickets are $6 for adults and teens, $3 for children

The menu will be: turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes, veggies, green salad, rolls and cranberry sauce, plus delicious pies and cakes for dessert.

Homemade doesn’t get better than this. A person who hasn’t had trashcan turkey really hasn’t had turkey, organizers said. People worried about the heat should come dine in air-conditioned comfort.

“The supper is part of our ongoing program to fund repairs and renovations to Comins Hall,” said Sue Dunham Shane. “This 129-year-old hall is a registered National Historic Place.”

Hermon

Native tree walking tour

Ecotat Gardens will host a guided, 3/4-mile walking trail tour featuring 30 trees native to Maine at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at the gardens, Route 2 and Annis Road. Meet in the Annis Road parking lot.

The tour’s public trail is made possible in part by USDA Project Canopy funds, Hermon’s public works staff, students and Ecotat volunteers.

Orland

Gray reunion

The annual Gray reunion will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16, at Victory Grange Hall on Bald Mountain Road in Orland.

Lunch will be held at noon. Bring a favorite casserole, salad or dessert for everyone to enjoy. Bingo will be played in the afternoon, along with horseshoes and games for the children. An auction also will be held.

Stream habitat workday

Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust and Trout Unlimited are teaming up at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, for a stream habitat workday in the Great Pond Mountain Wildlands.

Volunteers who like to get wet are invited to help repair two problem spots in Hothole Brook.

At one location, volunteers will construct a rock and log pool to help fish pass through a hanging culvert under a road crossing. At the second site, volunteers will remove excess gravel from the streambed adjacent to a gravel pit that has been reclaimed recently.

Meet at the Wildlands south gate on Route 1 and bring gloves, shovels, 5-gallon buckets, boots, water, sun and bug protection and snacks. For information or to sign up, call Wildlands, steward Jake Maier, 989-1403, or e-mail j.m@jmforestry.com.

Wildlands hike

Lace up your boots for the Two Peaks Hike in the Great Pond Mountain Wildlands at 9 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 17. Meet at the Wildlands south gate on Route 1 and join Scott Bennett of the Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust for a hike across Oak Hill and Flag Hill. The moderately strenuous walk will serve as an introduction to new trails in the Wildlands.

Those who prefer a shorter hike may skip Flag Hill. Bring water, snacks, bug and sun protection. Call 825-4709 or e-mail scottcom36@roadrunner.com to preregister.

Invasive weed-whacking

Those who find satisfaction in seeking out and destroying noxious weeds are invited to join Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust for an invasive species workday in the Great Pond Mountain Wildlands, 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Aug. 16.

Meet at the Wildlands south gate on Route 1. Bring loppers, clippers, work gloves and disposal bags – feed bags of paper or plastic work best. Don’t forget water, bug and sun protection and snacks.

The group will check a log landing off Mead Mountain Road for multiflora rose, then venture to the inner parking lot to seek out common buckthorn and goutweed. For information or to sign up, call steward Jake Maier at 989-1403 or e-mail j.m.@jmforestry.com.

Veazie

Church open house

An open house will be held noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at the Veazie Congregational Church, 1404 State St.

A spaghetti luncheon with salads, rolls and desserts will be served at 11:30 a.m. The cost is $6, $3 children.

The church is handicapped-accessible.