Congratulations to the pupils and staff of Old Town Elementary School and members of Orono-Old Town Kiwanis Club, who have established the first K-Kids Club in Maine.

K-Kids Club faculty adviser Mary Moreau said that Thursday, Oct. 21, has been declared K-Kids Day in the state of Maine by Gov. John Baldacci in recognition of this new, pupil-led community service organization.

Members and supporters of the club will meet for a Charter Night Celebration at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the school.

Nearly 60 Old Town pupils in grades three through five have joined the club and elected their leaders.

“We’re very excited,” Moreau said. “We’re delighted the children have been so enthusiastic. It’s a great age for them to become involved in community service.”

Orono-Old Town Kiwanian Dave Ames, who heads the group’s Read and Leave program, was among those who suggested forming the club and has become its Kiwanis adviser.

K-Kids are already busy planning activities to benefit members of their communities.

“They have two projects coming up,” Moreau said. “They would like to do a canned food drive in November for distribution to local food pantries, and they are going to do the Read and Leave program at a couple of preschools and the [Old Town-Orono] YMCA.”

Participants in that program read to youngsters and then leave the book they have read.

A school release explained that K-Kids offers elementary school children an opportunity to develop leadership skills while helping out in their communities.

In Maine, young people have similar opportunities in high schools through Key Clubs, and through Circle K clubs on university and college campuses.

For these Old Town Elementary School pupils, K-Kids is just the beginning.

I join everyone associated with John Bapst Memorial High School in welcoming the first of two exchange groups from Dragonskolan (Dragoon School) in Umea, Sweden, who are visiting Bangor now through Monday, Oct. 25.

Former Orono resident Annika Bindler, Dragonskolan’s exchange program coordinator, and John Bapst social studies department chairman Mark Tasker initiated the weeklong visit, which is a continuation of an exchange program between the schools that began last year.

The 10 students will attend classes, visit local historic sites and enjoy such activities as a football game during their stay in eastern Maine.

To each student, I extend a most sincere Valkommen!

Helen Marston of Tenants Harbor wrote to invite all Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to a Pot Luck Lunch at noon Sunday, Nov. 7, at the home of Chuck and Deb Paine on Glenmere Road in Tenants Harbor.

“Bring something to share, if you can,” she wrote, adding that a paperback book swap is planned, “so bring those along, too.”

For more information, call Marston at 372-8494, Deb Paine at 372-8147, or write Marston at P.O. Box 5, Tenants Harbor 04860.

Anyone interested in the Peace Corps is welcome.

One month from today, Mid Maine American Red Cross will host its 14th Festival of Crafts Show.

That event is Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Fairfield Community Center, and all proceeds benefit the local Disaster Relief Fund.

If you are a crafter and wish to participate, you must do so by calling that ARC office at 872-5642 to reserve your space for $25.

This chapter of the ARC serves communities in northern Kennebec County, all of Somerset County and western Waldo County.

The chapter assists individuals and families in crisis because of a fire or other disasters by providing immediate shelter, food, clothing and support to help them recover from those situations.

With so many active Elks Lodges in Maine, it is important to remind young people preparing for college who are related to Elks that the Elks National Foundation will award up to 500, one-year, $1,000 scholarships to children or grandchildren of active Elks in good standing.

That includes any child, grandchild, stepchild, stepgrandchild or legal ward of a living Elk who joined on or before April 1, 2002, or a charter member of a lodge instituted on or after that date who is a paid-up member in good standing.

Information and applications for high school seniors are available online at www.elks.org/enf/scholars; by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Elks National Foundation Scholarship Department, 2750 No. Lakeview Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60614-1889; or at local lodges.

Applications must be mailed no later than Jan. 14, 2005.

Winners will be announced in April.

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