With two members of my extended family having successfully passed their average life expectancies after cancer surgery, I was pleased to learn that once again, Jamie Pangburn of Eddington is hosting the Katahdin Celebration of Life in honor of her father, retired Aroostook County educator, coach and cancer survivor Bob Dyer.

The Katahdin Celebration of Life is 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at Katahdin High School in Stacyville.

It celebrates not only Dyer’s survival, but also all other cancer survivors, their families and friends.

The walk or ski event, for which participants collect pledges to benefit CancerCare of Maine at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, features a 3-mile ski, a 1-mile walk and “lots of family fun,” according to the release from Lanie Colson of Eastern Maine Healthcare Charities in Bangor.

According to the release, Dyer was declared cancer-free five years ago after having been diagnosed and treated for liver cancer, for which the average life expectancy is two years.

Participants in the Katahdin Celebration of Life are asked to submit a minimum $15 donation, and T-shirts will be given to the first 150 entries.

Pledge forms are available at Lounsbury’s in East Millinocket, Pangburn Family IGA in Millinocket, Ellis Family Market in Patten, Jerry’s Thriftway in Island Falls, Oakfield Thriftway, Sherman Thriftway and the County Yankee Grocer in Houlton.

For information about this event or to find out how to make a donation if you cannot attend, call Pangburn at 843-7377 or Patsy Dyer at 365-4676.

I misread the information sent to me about the Country Western Jamboree from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 1, in the Milo Cultural Center at Milo Town Hall to benefit the Art Center and the PAWS animal shelter, and I thank Ron Knowles for bringing that to my attention.

To clarify, Maine Country Music Hall of Fame member Slim Andrews was a highlight of previous shows, and will not be appearing at this year’s show, Knowles said.

The highlights of this year’s show will be the performances of Knowles and other local favorite entertainers.

On Leap Day, here is more news from The County that should be of interest to current and former Aroostook County residents.

An e-mail from Jann Votaw says the Bridgewater Historical Association is bringing The Boston Post Cane award back to that community.

“For approximately 100 years, the tradition of the Boston Post Cane has been in effect” in more than 400 towns throughout New England, Votaw wrote.

The cane, “made of ebony and headed in gold … is traditionally presented to the town’s oldest resident.”

In honor of Bridgewater’s sesquicentennial, being celebrated this year, the historical association is reinstating that tradition.

However, Votaw added, “in order to preserve the cane, the BHS will follow what many other towns have done, and present a plaque to the honored recipient.

“The cane, which had been missing for some time, was found downstate and returned to the BHS.” It will now be on display at the Bridgewater Historical Association hall.

Votaw wrote the association is making one change to the tradition by seeking “nominations every two years.”

“This will aid in keeping track of the recipients,” he said.

“Should the same individual be nominated,” that person will receive “an extra marker” for his or her plaque.

Those making the nominations are asked to “keep in mind that the nominee must be willing to accept the honor,” Votaw wrote.

The Boston Post Cane plaque will be presented during Bridgewater’s sesquicentennial celebration this summer. The deadline for nominations is Saturday, May 31.

Nomination forms are available and can be dropped off at the Bridgewater town office, or can be obtained by calling historical association president Denis Gagne, 429-8290; secretary Votaw, 425-7901; or historian Toby Hall, 429-8207.

Nominations also can be mailed to Bridgewater Historical Association, P.O. Box 341, Bridgewater 04735.

River City Cinema Society presents the PG-rated “Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles” at 7:30 tonight at the Bangor Opera House, 131 Main St.

Next, you can see “La Vie en Rose,” for which Marion Cotillard won an Oscar for best actress as French singing legend Edith Piaf, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 1, at the same site.

This film also earned an Oscar for best makeup. It is rated PG-13 and is in French with English subtitles.

Admission to each show by the nonprofit River City Cinema Society is $5, and refreshments will be available.

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