What a delight it always is to hear from Gene Nichols, associate professor of music at the University of Maine in Machias.

Nichols wrote that last year “we revived a UMM club from 1926, the Ukulele Club, and it’s been going great guns ever since.”

He’s the adviser-musical director for the band, whose members are ages 12 to 89 and are either students, staff, faculty or community members.

The group has played many gigs and benefits but now needs to help itself.

So Nichols is inviting you to the Bring ‘Em Back! Benefit, a public supper and ukebox performance, with supper at 5 p.m. and the ukebox at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, in the Centre Street Congregational Church vestry in Machias.

The benefit title tells the story, Nichols said.

The club has been invited to play in the second International Ukulele Ceilidh, Oct. 26-27, in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, with bands from “as far away as Vancouver, San Francisco and Denver,” he wrote.

And while the club has the money to get there, it doesn’t have enough to get home, he wrote.

For $6 you can help the club raise the $1,000 it needs to return to Machias after participating in this special Celtic gathering.

Nichols explained the Ukebox thusly: “You call the tune you want to hear from our songbook of about a thousand tunes, then pledge an amount you’ll pay to hear us play, or not play, that song.”

He added the band “will play until we drop, everyone leaves, or we reach our financial goal, whichever comes first.” For information, call 255-1327 or 255-8961.

Jani Druck urges people who have had cancer, supported someone through cancer or lost someone to the disease to join the Maine Buddy Program, connecting trained peer support “buddies” with people who have cancer.

The next training session will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor.

To be a “buddy” in this statewide program, you must be six months out of your own, or a family, cancer experience or loss.

Lunch will be provided, and you can register or receive more information at www.cancercommunitycenter.org.

For information, call Druck at 877-774-2200 or 774-2200.

Eunice Phillips and Jackie Nicholson are co-chairing the Hancock Woman’s Club Informational Open House, “Spread the Word,” in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Day, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Community Center Building on U.S. Route 1 in Hancock.

The purpose of the event is to “inform the public about the nature and scope of domestic violence affecting children, domestic partners, the elderly and pets; to identify what help is available in the community; and to provide resource materials,” the women said.

Speakers include Raschael Tyler of KidsPeace Center of New England, The Next Step Executive Director Laurie Fogelman, Valerie Sauda of Eastern Agency on Aging, and Executive Director Douglas Radziewicz of Hancock County SPCA.

Refreshments and a light lunch will be served, and everyone is invited to attend an event that is part of the Domestic Violence Awareness Initiative of the Maine and General Federation of Women’s Cubs.

For more information, call 422-6214.

Jim Bird reports that the Orono Bog Boardwalk volunteers will host their fourth annual potluck supper, silent auction and contradance, to the music of the Marsh Island Band, 6 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Keith Anderson Community Center in Orono.

You can participate in a “create-a-boardwalk cake contest,” Bird wrote of your cake that must include all-edible decorations; will be judged and eligible for a prize; and will be auctioned to benefit the boardwalk.

Admission is $10 each or $25 for families and $5 for those with student identification.

For more information, call Bird at 866-2578, or e-mail Jim.Bird@umit.Maine.edu.

Eastern Maine Medical Center Auxiliary board member Carol Colson reminds readers that the auxiliary’s third annual kitchen tour will be noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at six area homes.

Kitchen Tour tickets are $20. They are available in Bangor at Rebecca’s, The Grasshopper Shop, Westgate Pharmacy, Eastern Maine Medical Center gift shop, the Webber Building, and Patrick’s Hallmark on Broadway; Airline Pharmacy and the Cianchette Building in Brewer; Schacht’s Hardware in Hampden; and Winterport Winery.

The tour will include offerings from area caterers such as Opus, ButterCup Catering and Bangor Wine and Cheese.

All proceeds will benefit CancerCare of EMMC.

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