Perhaps I’m preaching to the choir, but I can’t emphasize too strongly how important I believe it is for parents and guardians of children enrolled in grades three through six in the Bangor public school system to attend the United Way of Eastern Maine’s Camp Fair, which is 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at the Bangor Civic Center.

For seven years now, Bangor has been one of three cities in Maine through which the Libra Foundation has offered free summer camping experiences for children in these grades.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Participating in at least one Camp Bangor program is an opportunity not to be missed.

Sara Yasner, the UWEM Camp Bangor program director, reports that hundreds of families attended the fair last year, and she hopes to see even more this year.

The Camp Bangor Program offers $800 scholarships to pupils in grades three and four and $1,000 scholarships to pupils in grades five and six to attend any Maine summer camp or camps of their choice.

Their only obligation is meeting good citizenship guidelines and volunteering in the community.

The Camp Bangor program makes it easy as pie, too, because it co-sponsors a City Wide Clean Up and Barbecue Day, in May, in which children and parents can participate to meet those qualifications. The city of Bangor co-sponsors that event as well as the Camp Fair.

By Monday, Feb. 19, a 2007 Camp Directory with information about 125 Maine camp programs will be available online at www.unitedwayem.org.

In mid-March, hard copies of the directory will be available in the Bangor Public Library Children’s Department.

The Libra Foundation is a private foundation established by late philanthropist Elizabeth Noyce.

For more information about UWEM, call 941-2800 or visit www.unitedwayem.org.

On behalf of the board of deacons, Cathy Marquez invites you to “warm your heart” at its Chocolate Buffet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, Feb. 14, at Church of Universal Fellowship, 82 Main St., Orono.

She suggests you “bring a friend for an evening of sweet indulgences and romantic music from Leafy Greens and Mutton and Fellowship Singers.”

Admission is just $5 for adults and free for children under 12. Tickets will be available at the door.

If, perchance, you do not like chocolate, non-chocolate desserts will be available as well.

Heartiest congratulations to members of the 45 Healthy Hancock Lose and Win teams who have not only reached the halfway point in their 10-week effort to lose weight and become healthier, but also have lost more than a ton, now weighing 2,144 pounds less than when they began!

And let’s add another “well done” to those committed individuals for coming up with some terrific names for their teams. I smile every time I read a new one.

For Week 5, Iris Simon of Healthy Hancock reported, the Southeast Shedders from Deer Isle-Stonington won the Victory Stick for losing the most weight.

The Skinny Bees were second, and the Slim Downs and Quantum Queens tied for third.

This week’s meetings feature Sandra Shepard leading the group in strength training at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, at the Fitness Center in Deer Isle.

Cheryl Wixon of Cheryl Wixon’s Kitchen will offer a presentation on using healthful Maine foods at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, at Ellsworth Middle School.

All Lose and Win participants are encouraged to attend the weekly meetings, for free.

Members of the public can attend these meetings for a $2 fee.

Sally Guaraldo, a member of the Bangor Art Society, sent a note to let our readers know that artwork by members of the society is being shown, now through Saturday, Feb. 24, in the Lecture Hall of the Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St.

The library is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The library will be closed Monday, Feb. 19, for Presidents Day.

For those who attended, and supported, two Calais Lions Club and Calais Lioness Club fundraisers last weekend, Lorraine Mitchell called to set the record straight on where the proceeds actually went.

I had understood from her that proceeds from both the Lioness Club pancake breakfast and the Lions Club Casino night benefited the local food pantry, but instead, proceeds from the Casino night benefited Lions charities, Mitchell said.

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