Bangor

Pathfinders for grieving children

Pathfinders: Support for Grieving Children will hold its spring session 6-7:30 p.m. Mondays, March 12 through May 21, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Essex Street. Visit www.pathfindersmaine.org for directions to the church.

The 10-week session provides grief support for children and their families or caregivers who have experienced the death of a loved one. Adults who attend with children meet in their own groups. Teens may attend on their own with the consent of a caregiver.

Pathfinders was founded by Maria Brountas and the late Barbara Eames. The program provides special bereavement support geared specifically for children and teens ages 3 to 18.

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

Volunteers are needed to help facilitate the session. Facilitators are specially trained to meet the needs of grieving children. Training will begin Saturday, Feb. 10.

For information on attending a session or volunteering, call Linda Boyle at 973-8269.

Bangor Noon Kiwanis Club

The Bangor Noon Kiwanis Club recently inducted two new members and is gearing up for the annual rose sale to be held later in the winter.

Joining Bangor Noon Kiwanis are Tara Trafton of Burnham, who is the manager of Day’s Jewelry Store; and Bruce Badger of Bangor, who is the CFO for Hollywood Slots.

The annual rose sale is a major fundraiser which helps fund the many charities Bangor Noon Kiwanis sponsors. These include the 4-H Club, scholarships at Bangor High School and John Bapst Memorial High School, Scout memberships, youth activities and the local soup kitchen. All money raised stays in Bangor. More information on the Rose Sale will be available soon.

Those interested in helping children in the Bangor area are invited to join Kiwanians noon-1 p.m. Wednesdays at the Howard Johnson’s on the Odlin Road. No reservations needed.

For information on Bangor Noon Kiwanis, call President Chris Patten at 848-3385.

Art at the library

In 1875, several area art groups merged to create the Bangor Art Society. Each February, the society has presented its annual juried art show. The current show can be seen this month in the Lecture Hall at Bangor Public Library.

Pete Stratton of Hampden will present “Huh?” an exhibit of photo-images in the library’s Stairwell Gallery.

To learn more about the library’s monthly art exhibits or to apply to exhibit art work, call the library at 947-8336.

Books2Eat

Loving a book so much you want to gobble it up is an experience everyone should have! That’s what Books2Eat is all about. This one-of-a-kind celebration of reading put on by Eastern Maine Community College’s Friends of the Library challenges the entire community – from elementary students to chefs – to exercise their culinary creativity by cooking up a totally edible creation based on the title of a favorite book.

This is the sixth year of Books2Eat at Eastern Maine Community College, a fun way to encourage reading and creatively engage the community.

Spicing it up a notch is the competition factor with several categories including pupils under 12, students over 12, professional chefs and everyone else in addition to a Stephen King title category open to everyone.

Books2Eat will take place 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in EMCC’s Rangeley Hall. For information or an entry form, call Karen Reilly at 974-4606.

Webcast author interviews

Patrons of the Bangor Public Library may hear an invitation over the intercom to attend an author interview or talk in the Lecture Hall. These presentations are Internet audio and visual Webcasts and audio podcasts from sources such as the Library of Congress.

Patrons may drop in on the interviews for five minutes or an hour, free to come and go as their schedules permit.

Each week a different author will be featured and repeated several times each week. Programs last 20 minutes to one hour. February’s Webcast schedule is:

. Sue Monk Kidd, Feb. 5-10. author of “The Mermaid’s Chair” and “The Secret Life of Bees.”

. Nathaniel Philbrick, Feb. 12-17, author of “Mayflower” and “In the Heart of the Sea.”

. Geraldine Brooks, Feb. 19-24. “Year of Wonders,” “March” and “Nine Parts of Desire.”

. Harlan Coben, Feb. 26-March 3, “Promise Me,” “The Innocent” and “Just One Look.”

For more information, call the library at 947-8336.

Self-defense program

Students at Penobscot Job Corps have been invited to attend a program on self-defense and self-awareness with Chris Greeley on Thursday, Feb. 1, on campus.

A police officer for 15 years, Greeley has a black belt in karate and is a former boxer. He also will be training with the Ultimate Fighter, Marcus Davis.

Course on home-buying

Maine Stream Finance is offering a free 12-hour certified training course that helps potential home buyers make prudent home purchasing decisions. The class will be held 5:30-8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, February 12-15, at Penquis CAP, 262 Harlow St.

The course uses a qualified trainer and discusses the roles of professionals involved in the home buying process. Components of the course are budget and debt management counseling and credit counseling.

There is no cost to participate, but registration is required. Call MaineStream Finance at 974-2424 or (800) 215-4942 for info or registration.

Telling organizations’

stories

The Community Media Center will offer a free presentation and discussion on “Helping Organizations Tell Their Story,” 2:30-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, at the United Technologies Center. Any individual or organization who wants to use electronic media to tell a story, offer insights on important issues or further community conversations with their neighbors is welcome to attend.

Jim Campbell, host of “Notes from the Electronic Cottage” aired on WERU Radio, will be the presenter. He will help attendees analyze the best means of telling their stories with limited resources; identify the resources needed; think about target audience and how to reach it; and understand how to evaluate success and maintain the project over time.

As a follow-up, Community Media Center will offer a free eight-week course focusing on the specific skills needed to move forward with a media project. “Hands On: Capturing, Editing and Producing Short Videos,” will be offered Feb. 28 to May 2 at the United Technologies Center.

For more information, call Peter Rottmann at 866-2292 or e-mail cmcmaine@earthlink.net.

Adoption information

The Bangor office of the Department of Health and Human Services will hold a public informational meeting about adoption and foster care 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5. To learn the location of the meeting, call A Family For Me at (877) 505-0545.

Emergency food and shelter

Penobscot County has been chosen to receive $84,214 to supplement area emergency food and shelter programs.

The selection was made by a national board led by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. The board represents several organizations and the United Way of America, which provides administrative staff and functions as fiscal agent.

The board was charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high need areas.

A local board, headed by John Bragg of N.H. Bragg and Sons of Bangor, will determine how the funds awarded to Penobscot County are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service organizations. The local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive the funds and any additional funds available under this phase of the program.

Under the terms of the grant, local governmental or private voluntary organizations chosen to receive funds must be nonprofit, have an accounting system or a fiscal agent approved by the local board, practice nondiscrimination and demonstrate the capability to deliver emergency food and-or shelter programs.

Qualifying organizations are urged to apply.

The United Way of Eastern Maine administers the program for Penobscot County. Last year 17 agencies received funding. For information, call 941-2800.

Brewer

Dinner and auction

Members of the East Orrington Congregational Church invite the public to beat the mid-winter blues and attend the Happy Hearts social, dinner and auction at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, at Jeff’s Catering. There will be a buffet luncheon with roast round top of beef, baked chicken breast supreme and vegetarian selections.

Fun-filled door prize drawings of unexpected and interesting items will take place.

A silent auction will be followed by a live auction with guest auctioneer the Rev. Robert Carlson. Items up for bid include vacation destinations and accommodations, a 2006 Kia Suzuki program car (with reserve price), a diamond and emerald ring and other items.

Proceeds benefit the church’s community outreach youth programs for toddlers to teens, regardless of church affiliation.

Tickets are $25 per person, or $175 for a table for eight. For tickets, call Ron Landry, 991-9564 or Alyson Coffin, 989-7008.

Bucksport

Maine film awards

In the spirit of Hollywood’s Oscars, the Maine Film Academy will honor members of the Maine film community when the Maine International Film Festival hosts the third annual Maine Film Academy Awards Gala at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, at the CMP Building in downtown Waterville.

A celebration of filmmaking and film exhibition in Maine, the gala will feature the Maine Film Academy Awards ceremony and Maine film updates. Special guest Karen Young of “The Sopranos” and the film “Heading South” will present a screening of her short film, “The Pesky Suitor.”

The 2007 Maine Film Academy Award winners include:

. Best Artistic Direction: Northeast Historic Film, Bucksport. The award honors an organization or company in Maine making significant contributions in the area of film exhibition. Founded in 1986, Northeast Historic Film collects, preserves and makes available to the public film and videotape of interest to the people of northern New England.

NHF activities include a survey of moving pictures of northern New England; preserving and safeguarding film and videotape through restoration, duplication, and climate-controlled storage; the creation of educational programs through screenings and exhibitions on-site and in touring programs; assistance to members of the public, scholars and students at all levels, and members of the film and video production community.

Hampden

Children’s Day meeting

The Hampden Children’s Day meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the Hampden Municipal Building.

Kids Kan Sew class

The Bangor Area Chapter of the American Sewing Guild is offering a youth sewing class, Kids Kan Sew, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Hampden Municipal Building. A snack break is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. for those who wish.

The sewing project will be a tote bag. Each child must have a parent present for the entire class.

Supplies, labeled with the owner’s name, needed are:

. A sewing machine in good working order and the instruction book that goes with it.

. Extra machine needles in size 14, regular sewing foot and extra bobbins.

. One yard of fabric – light denim, drapery or home decorating weight.

. Thread to match, sharp scissors, chalk or marking pencil, seam ripper, rule, small snips, straight pins, decorative items to attach to the bag and a notebook for taking notes.

The class is limited to 20 participants. Members of the guild will assist with measuring, cutting and preparing the tote bag.

The class is open to boys and girls. The fee is $10, due by Monday, Feb. 5. To register, call Natalia Crockett at 848-3318 or Kathy Childs, 941-8815.

Guild members hope to make this the first sewing class for youth in a series.

Holden

Benefit supper and auction

A spaghetti super and silent auction will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at the Holden Elementary School. Admission is by donation. The event will benefit the Bruce Dowling family.

The silent auction begins at 5:30 p.m., with bids closing at 7:30 p.m. Winners will be announced at 8 p.m.

Call Trish at 843-5208 to donate auction items. Call Delores at 989-4059 to donate food items.

Monetary donations may be made to Bruce Downing Fund, c/o Bangor Savings Bank, 3 State St., Bangor, ME 04401.

Orono

Planetarium shows

The University of Maine’s Jordan Planetarium in Wingate Hall is offering two family star shows on weekends this month.

“Xtra-Terrestrial Files” will take family audiences on a fanciful exploration to identify the source of strange lights seen in the sky at 7 p.m. Saturdays.

“X-Tra Terrestrial Files” explores the possibility of life on other planets. The audience will join two clever characters on an official investigation of a UFO. Figure out possible explanations of UFOs, estimate how many planets like ours may exist and judge for yourself. Are we alone?

Young visitors will explore the movements of the sky in “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” at 2 p.m. Sundays. This program explains how slaves in the 1800s used the sky to escape to Canada with the help of abolitionists. Visitors will learn the song that gave them clues for a safe route to freedom and hear the story of one family that successfully made the journey.

Admission is $3 per person. Call 581-1341 for more information and reservations or visit www.galaxymaine.com.