Bangor

PICA benefit auction

The public is invited to attend the 22nd annual Peace through Interamerican Community Auction benefit auction 3-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at the University College of Bangor College Center, 210 Texas Ave.

Browse treats while enjoying the creativity and generosity of the region, and support the work for social and economic justice in Maine and in El Salvador. A variety of items will be up for bid in silent and live auctions, including weekend getaways, jewelry, pottery and much more.

The live auction will include a painting by Maine artist Michael Lewis. Free food and music by Brian Dyer-Stewart will be part of the shopping experience. Preview some of the auction items at www.pica.ws.

Applications for Christmas help

Applications for help at Christmas are being accepted by The Salvation Army, 9-11 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at The Salvation Army, 65 South Park St.

Those applying should bring proof of residence and number of people in household, documentation if receiving food stamps and-or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, documentation of income and expenses, and children’s names, ages and birthdays.

For information, call 941-2990.

Thanksgiving pies, cheesecakes

A group of 20 people from Pathway Wesleyan Church in Bangor are planning fundraising strategies for a mission trip in the summer of 2009. The people will choose one or more destinations – New York City, Washington or Mexico.

In order to raise funds, the church is offering homemade Thanksgiving pies or cheesecakes, which must be ordered in advance. Pies are $10 each, cheesecakes $15 each.

To order for pickup in Bangor or Orland, call Kelly Frye at 469-8905 or 299-8098.

The group will join with Real Life Ministries in their mission efforts.

Those heading off to NYC will volunteer at the Bowery Mission and distribute food on the streets. The mission for Washington is the same. Those going to Tijuana minister to a settlement of people who have built their homes on top of the local dump. Mission workers bring rice and beans, and connect with the people who call the dump their home, sharing food and faith.

Those heading to NYC and Washington need to raise about $800 each; those going to Tijuana need to raise $1,200 each.

To learn about the church or the mission trips, call Pastor Mike Tapper, 942-7212.

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 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, in Bangor. To learn the location and to participate, call A Family For ME at 877-505-0545. Those considering adoption or foster care through the Maine Department of Health and Human Services are encouraged to attend.

A call for art

The Bangor Art Society is seeking original art work – paintings, drawings, photographs, prints and sculpture – for its sixth annual Holiday Art Auction, 6:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Wellman Commons, 300 Union St. Artists retain 50 percent of the sale price; the other 50 percent goes to the Bangor Art Society.

Artwork may be dropped off 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, at Wellman Commons. For information, call Kristborg at 942-3868 or e-mail kristborg@aol.com.

Bid Against Cancer

An auction fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society last month at the Sea Dog was extremely successful.

Angela Conrad, who was just 13 when she lost her mother to cancer, had hoped to raise $3,000 to $3,500 in the first year of the event.

Conrad said afterward that between the businesses and individuals who contributed items, and those who turned out to bid on them, the first Bid Against Cancer raised $4,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Brewer

Zonta Holiday MarketPlace

Zonta Club of Bangor will hold its 30th Holiday MarketPlace, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, at the Brewer Auditorium, 203 State St.

Features will include 75 unique craft and antique tables, a cafe serving meals and snacks all day, dozens of door prizes, a 50-50 raffle, a Meals To Go table, photos with Santa on Sunday, caroling by the Girl Scouts of Maine and more. All proceeds are used to support scholarships and programs improving the status of women locally and worldwide.

Holden

Nature center programs

Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden has scheduled:

. Art lesson for adults 11 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Nov. 8, at Fields Pond Audubon Center. Learn drawing techniques to capture the essence of the local fauna and flora species. Bring a pencil, sketch pad, eraser and enthusiasm for drawing and nature. Teacher, Carolyn Wallace-Zani. $10 Audubon members, $12 others.

. Drawing class for children ages 4-10 1:30-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at Fields Pond Audubon Center. The class will introduce children to nature drawing by recognizing basic shapes as the building blocks to creating artistic forms found in nature. Bring favorite art supplies. Teacher, Carolyn Wallace-Zani. $10 Audubon members, $12 others (one adult and one child).

. Fields Pond Book Discussion Group, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, Dirigo Pines in Orono. Call 866-3400 for directions. The title under discussion is “What Are People For?” Leader, Joyce Rumery. Free.

‘Bird Species at Risk’

Dr. Jeff Wells, who grew up in Bangor, is the senior scientist for the Boreal Songbird Initiative. During his time at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and as Audubon’s National Conservation director, Wells earned a reputation as one of the nation’s leading bird experts and conservation biologists.

In presenting “Bird Species at Risk,” Wells will discuss the ivory-billed woodpecker, his search for it in Arkansas in 2005 and its status. He also will discuss Maine birds from his new book, “Birder’s Conservation Handbook: 100 North American Birds at Risk,” a summary of bird conservation.

Wells will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, at Fields Pond Audubon Center, 216 Fields Pond Road. Admission of $5 to Maine Audubon members and $7 others. Proceeds benefit the center.

Program on giant panda

Pat Moynahan wanted to see China – its culture, its people and nature. She wanted to see a giant panda, not in a zoo, but a wild one in its habitat. She also loves cranes. There are only 15 species of cranes in the world, and she wants to see them all in the wild. So, she saved her money and finally went to China.

The giant panda population is small at an estimated 2,000-3,000 individuals. The Chinese have created about 40 reserves in the Quinling Mountains in central China.

Moynahan trekked for 10 days up and down hillsides covered with dense bamboo, which is a kind of grass, but grows from 40 to 70 feet tall. Its leaves are the primary food of the giant panda.

The giant panda has a very slow metabolism. And although it is a bear, it has molars that grind bamboo. They also have a low birth rate.

Moynahan slogged through heavy rain for long, grueling days to see this mysterious bear. At last, she was successful, and then her attention turned toward China’s cranes on the Tibetan Plateau and China’s East Coast.

She will give a slide presentation about her adventures in China at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, at Fields Pond Audubon Center, 216 Fields Pond Road. An admission fee of $6 per person benefits the center. Children age 10 and over may attend. Call 989-2591 for more information.

Newburgh

Benefit auction

The Newburgh Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary will conduct an auction at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at the Newburgh Elementary School.

Dozens of items will be up for bid, including a remote car starter, an autographed copy of a book by Stephen King, an autographed University of Maine hockey stick, a full-size truck tool box, gift certificates for car detailing, pizza, hair salons, spa day, aerial photo of your home, flowers, oil changes, lube jobs and Harley-Davidson accessories.

The fire department has purchased a new Jaws of Life and are raising funds to purchase equipment and tools to go with the Jaws of Life.

Frank Coombs of Hampden will serve as auctioneer for the event. For more information, call 234-7274.

Orono

Chinese culture seminar

The 2008 Chinese Language and Culture Seminar, presented by the Bangor Chinese School in collaboration with the University of Maine and Orono High School, will be presented 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Orono High School.

The seminar will be led by Bruce Lindberg, headmaster at Lee Academy, and Donglin Zhang, associate professor, University of Maine.

The primary audience for the seminar is those who are interested in Chinese language and culture.

Participants will include six professors and several of the eight guest Chinese teachers who came to Maine this year. An authentic Chinese lunch will be served.

Topics will include how to do business successfully in China, China’s landscape and architecture, basic knowledge and teaching strategies for Chinese language, Chinese philosophies and today’s China, practical Chinese culture, starting a Chinese program in a school, how to go to China to teach English and obtaining a Maine certificate in teaching Chinese.

Registration before Nov. 10 is $65 for the full day or $40 for half the day with lunch. After Nov. 10, the fee is $85 for the full day or $50 for half the day with lunch.

Seniors and students receive a $20 discount for the full day, $10 for half the day. CEUs are available to full-day attendees.

For information, call Jing at 990-0710 or e-mail jingzhang@bangorchinese.com. Or download the registration form from www.bangorchinese.com and mail with payment to Bangor Chinese School, 53 Cumberland St., Bangor 04401.

Jordan Planetarium

Traveling in space is never an easy thing to do, but in November everyone can in three Omnidome programs at the University of Maine’s Maynard F. Jordan Planetarium, Wingate Hall. Even younger children are introduced to stars and the wonders of the sky in the premiere showing of “The Little Star That Could,” set for 2 p.m. Sundays.

Visitors join a new star as he makes his way through space. During his travels, he will meet many different types of stars and discover how interesting the universe is. After meeting nebulas, galaxies and other stars, he takes a look at himself and realizes just how special he is as well.

Also in November, the planetarium will explore space through the mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope in “Hubble Vision” at 7 p.m. Fridays. Intended for ages 10 to adult, the show gives visitors a glimpse of faraway star birth nurseries, supernovas, a comet’s collision with Jupiter and much more. Space scenery only captured from a space observatory is displayed in this breath-taking presentation.

Ever wonder what happens if you fall into a black hole or how black holes are created? In “Black Holes,” at 7 p.m. Saturdays, visitors fly through space witnessing the destructive power of these strange objects. Those age 10 to adult will experience the Omnidome system’s sweeping panoramas and explore space-time travel, the bending of light and skewing of perceptions. “Star Trek Next Generation” star John de Lancie narrates the adventure.

All showings are about one hour long. Admission is $3 and seating is limited to 30 per showing, so reservations are recommended. For more information and reservations, call 581-1341 or visit the Jordan Planetarium on the Web at www.galaxymaine.com.

Raffles for quilt, train set

The public is invited to view the Sunshine and Flowers quilt and the Bangor and Aroostook HO gauge train set, with track and transformer, on display at Merrill Merchants Bank, 69 Main St. The quilt and train are being raffled.

The quilt was designed and pieced by Louise Snow, and machine quilted by Dianne Hodgkins.

The train set was donated by Fred Mason.

Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the new Orono Public Library under construction at the corner of Pine and Birch streets. The new facility will feature an environmentally friendly design.

Raffle tickets are available at the bank or at Orono Public Library. These are separate raffles, and the cost is $5 per ticket or five tickets for $20. Winning tickets in both raffles will be drawn Wednesday, Dec. 10.