Bangor

One-day closure at BMV

The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles at the Airport Mall will be closed Monday, June 27, to upgrade computer systems.

Foster Grandparents

Foster grandparents are volunteers over age 60 who dedicate between 15 and 40 hours a week helping children and youth in public settings.

Fifty current foster grandparents will gather June 28-30 for three days of intensive training and fun at the Career Center in Bangor.

The Foster Grandparent Program is accepting new applications. Foster grandparents must be at least 60 years of age, and meet income guidelines. They share experience and wisdom in public and nonprofit settings with children who need a little extra love and attention. Foster grandparents receive a small stipend, holiday and earned time, help with transportation, training and the appreciation of the children and staff where they volunteer.

The Penquis CAP Foster Grandparent Program has some 95 foster grandparents serving at 63 sites throughout its 14-county service area.

To obtain information about the program, or to apply as a foster grandparent, call Gary Dorman at 973-3684 or e-mail gdorman@penquiscap.org.

Boot Camp for New Dads

Penquis CAP Parents Are Teachers, Too will offer Boot Camp for New Dads, a free workshop for first-time, expectant fathers. The workshop will be held 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 20 at Penquis CAP, 262 Harlow St. Pizza and drinks will be provided.

New babies don’t come with manuals. Boot Camp for New Dads offers first-time fathers-to-be a chance to talk with experienced dads who bring their own babies. The workshop is designed for expectant fathers whose wives or partners are in the last trimester.

Participation is free. Boot Camp for New Dads is funded by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health.

To register or to obtain information call Wendy Pace at 973-3674 or (888)-389-3610.

Brewer

Charity bicycle tour

The March of Dimes announced that Sprague Energy Corp., with headquarters in Portsmouth, N.H., has chosen the March of Dimes as one of two charities to receive proceeds from its second Sprague Energy Doing More for Charity bicycle tour. Last year, Sprague reached its goal of raising $100,000 for a pair of charities.

John McClellan, president and CEO of Sprague Energy Corp., will ride his bike more than 1,000 miles to raise money and awareness for the March of Dimes and Nashoba Learning Group, a nonprofit educational program for people with autism, founded by McClellan’s wife, Liz Martineau. McClellan is a board member and the treasurer of the school.

Earlier this spring, Sprague Energy was recognized in the First Children’s Environmental Health Awards from the Environmental Protection Agency.

On June 21, McClellan began biking to 16 of Sprague’s terminals. The first leg of the tour began at Sprague’s Searsport terminal and will conclude on June 24 in White Plains, N.Y. The second leg will take place July 26-29, starting in Oswego, N.Y., and ending in Portsmouth, N.H.

The event’s presenting sponsor for the second year is Bouchard Transportation Co. Inc., based in Melville, N.Y. Bouchard has donated $50,000 to the tour, resulting in an “out of the gate” donation of $25,000 to the March of Dimes.

Those interested in riding with McClellan, should call the March of Dimes southern Maine division director Faith York at (800) 668-5678 or e-mail fyork@marchofdimes.com.

To obtain information about the organization or to volunteer for upcoming events, visit www.marchofdimes.com or call Gene Staffiere, 989-3376.

Kiwanis news

At a recent meeting of the Brewer Kiwanis Club, Leonard Minsky announced a new forum being developed for dialogue between citizens, foreign policy experts and educators.

The Bangor Foreign Policy Forum is a nonpartisan community forum dedicated to increasing international awareness by providing the opportunity to hear recognized speakers and authorities including current and former government officials, diplomats, educators, journalists and members of organizations. For a list of speakers, dates and information, call 581-1519 or e-mail Bangor-Forum@aol.com.

Brewer Kiwanians Wes Archer, Kemp Humphrey, Carlton King, Patricia Largay, Kathleen Harding-Heber, Joe Kiley, Bill Newberry, Jim Pooler, Glen Rand, Dusty Fisher and Herb Hopkins participated in a casino for Brewer High School Project Graduation at the Old Town YMCA.

Bill and Jane Newberry will attend the Kiwanis International Convention in July.

Past Gov. Carolyn Perry of the New England district announced that President Bill Newberry was selected to receive the Distinguished Lt. Governor Award for 2003-2004.

Jim Pooler, Jessica Tilton and Melissa Wilde have been voted into membership. For information about Brewer Kiwanis call 945-0746 or attend a meeting at 6 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at the Muddy Rudder Restaurant.

Hometown Band concert

The Brewer Hometown Band will give its first summer concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 23 at Indian Trail Park. If the weather is not pleasant, it will be held at the Brewer Auditorium. Other concerts are set for July 7 at Sunset Park; July 21, Brewer Auditorium parking lot; Aug. 4, auditorium parking lot; Aug. 18, Doyle Field. The concerts are free. Bring a chair.

Castine

Town band concert

The Castine Town Band will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, July 1 at Town Common on Court Street. In case of rain, the concert location will move to the Trinitarian Church on Main Street.

Dedham

Benefit spaghetti supper

A spaghetti supper to benefit Trever and Lorrie Gray of Dedham will be held 5-7 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Dedham School. The cost is $5 or $20 for a family. A

homemade pie auction will take place at the supper. Donations of returnable cans and bottles will be accepted.

Eddington

New church minister

Bishop Peter Weaver, resident bishop of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church, has appointed the Rev. Dr. Tracy Reeves to the North Brewer-Eddington United Methodist Church. Reeves will assume her duties on July 1.

Reeves was born and brought up in Hampden, where she attended the Hampden Highlands United Methodist Church. She graduated from Hampden Academy, and then from the University of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in art education. She taught elementary art for five years, then returned to school and graduated from Bangor Theological Seminary with a master’s of divinity.

Reeves has served the United Methodist churches of the Schoodic Circuit – North Sullivan, Gouldsboro and Prospect Harbor; the Easton and Mars Hill United Methodist churches; and most recently was primary pastor for Pine Tree United Methodist Ministries – Orland and Penobscot United Methodist churches.

She completed the doctorate degree at Bangor Theological Seminary. Her doctoral project was the creation of Good News Shoes, a ministry that provides new shoes to people in need in the Bucksport area.

Orono

On-farm weekend for women

Opportunities for women to learn more about agricultural activities including raising sheep, milking goats, and growing herbs and vegetables will be available later this summer. Registrations are being accepted for an experiential on-farm weekend for women, scheduled for Aug. 19-21 at Nezinscot Farm in Turner.

The Maine Women’s Agricultural Network and Nezinscot Farm are coordinating the weekend event, with support from University of Maine Cooperative Extension and agricultural businesses.

“This weekend event will be fun and relevant for women of all experience levels,” said Vivianne Holmes, an Extension educator who coordinates the Maine Women’s Agricultural Network.

The schedule includes a close look at farm operations as well as workshops on topics such as spinning and weaving, cheese making, and felting and dyeing wool. Routine farming practices from managing pastures and wood lots to planning businesses will be covered. Participants may register for the entire weekend or take part in selected workshops. Information is available from Holmes at (800) 287-1458. Space is limited.

Orrington

Humanitarian mission

On June 20, nine Bangor area men traveled to war-torn Uganda to protect mothers and children from a militant extremist group. The team will construct a three-mile barbed wire fence that will surround a complex appropriated by the Ugandan government in the Kitgum region. An estimated 20,000 children have been abducted by militants. Twelve thousand people have been massacred and 1.5 million displaced as a result of the conflict.

The team will return to Bangor on July 9.

The Bangor area team members are Jeremy Bouton, Carmel; Kyle Bradford, Orrington; Corey Dunn, Carmel; Bryan Finnemore, Carmel; John Pomelow, Bucksport; Brenton Magers, Old Town; Dale Quimby, Kenduskeag; Mark Swartz, Hampden; and Daryl Whitley, Pittsfield.

Donations to be used toward this cause are being accepted. For information, call Dale Quimby at 991-9555.