Last month, when I was reporting on organizations’ “holiday wish lists,” I wrote Spruce Run Association in Bangor “serves approximately 150 women and children each year,” which is accurate as far as it went, but I should have added that it serves those specific individuals “in its shelter.”

Margo Batsie kindly pointed that out to me, and I asked her to provide me more detailed information about the services of this organization celebrating “32 years of working for peace at home.”

And that is a wonderful statistic in itself, Batsie pointed out.

“We are the third-oldest in the country,” she said of the domestic violence agency that offers advocacy, support and education groups, children’s services, shelter, training, education and a 24-hour hot line for victims of domestic abuse in Penobscot County.

The longevity and strength of this program, Batsie emphasized, “is a testament to the Bangor community as well as to Spruce Run.”

For the record, during fiscal year 2005, Spruce Run provided hot line response and advocacy for 1,164 individuals, or a total of 4,664 hours; support and education groups for 158 individuals, or 1,204 hours; and emergency shelter for 123 people for a total of 3,127 bed days.

Spruce Run also provided transitional housing and services for 18 women and their 22 children; community education and training for 3,019 people, including teachers, human services caseworkers and members of the clergy, law enforcement and the medical community, for a total of 5,179 hours.

Finally, Spruce Run provided information about healthy relationships and dating abuse to 7,422 students in Penobscot County schools.

Spruce Run is funded by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Maine State Housing Authority, United Way of Eastern Maine, and your generous contributions.

On the subject of contributions, you should know that the Spruce Run Endowment Campaign is now in Phase II, working toward its $500,000 goal.

Through November, Spruce Run had received $350,000 in pledges, but there is a lot of work yet to be done.

If you would like to contribute to the endowment campaign, you can make out a check to Spruce Run Association, with Endowment written in the memo line, and mail it to Spruce Run Association, P.O. Box 653, Bangor 04402-0653.

If you would like more information about Spruce Run, call 945-5102.

If you would like to call the Spruce Run 24-hour hot line, that toll-free number is (800) 863-9909.

I extend congratulations and a hearty “well done” to members of the Spruce Run steering committee, the program coordinators and all the volunteers who have helped this essential, nonprofit organization become such an enduring success.

On behalf of the Bangor High School Music Boosters, its co-presidents Bruce and Lisa Roscher, together with BHS music instructors George Redman, Scott Burditt and William Bell, invite you to attend the Maine All-State Jazz Festival at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, at Bangor High School on Broadway.

More than 70 auditioned performers representing 38 Maine schools will be participating.

The concert features four performing groups, including jazz combo, honors band, jazz band and jazz choir.

Tickets will be sold at the door.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors and $15 for families.

Directing the jazz choir will be Dian Mower of the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, with Gerry Wright preparing the jazz choir combo.

Gene Parker of Toledo, Ohio, will direct the honor combo; Chris Oberholzer of the University of Southern Maine will direct the jazz band; and New Hampshire resident Marc LaForce will direct the honors jazz band.

Bangor High School students selected to participate in this event are Alena Spanger, John Lanham and Colleen Smith.

So many young people tried out for hockey at Orono High School, it has been reported, that the Orono High School Hockey Boosters are trying to raise money to help fund a junior varsity hockey team.

To assist in that effort, the OHS Hockey Boosters are hosting a spaghetti dinner and silent auction from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, in the cafeteria at Orono High School.

Tickets for the dinner are $6 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under, and will be available at the door.

The auction is free and open to everyone.

If you have questions about this new project of the OHS Hockey Boosters, or about tickets, call Julie Eugley at 827-8356.

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