You have an opportunity to enjoy some of the finest talent this area has to offer; to purchase a print of the New York skyline that includes the former World Trade Center twin towers; and to help firefighters, police and the New York Port Authority victims, survivors and their families.

Morgan Hill Performing Arts, with the support of Bangor Firefighters Local 772, will present “Sounds of America” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, at Peakes Auditorium at Bangor High School on Broadway.

The variety show features The Memphis Belles, Blue Hill Brass, the Morgan Hill Dancers, Unison, Gemini, juggler-vocalist Zach Field, comedian Steve Robbins and many other surprises.

WLBZ news anchor Ric Tyler will be master of ceremonies for the benefit, which also features Galen Cole leading schoolchildren in the Pledge of Allegiance, Husson coach Bruce MacGregor speaking about fair play, and the zany banter of Z107.3 radio hosts Mike and Mike. Don Carrigan of MPBN will discuss American freedoms and the origin of “America the Beautiful.”

Representatives of the clergy will address the issue of religious tolerance, and members of local police and fire departments will speak of the bravery and unwavering commitment to duty of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

One of the most interesting aspects of this fund-raiser is the participation of artist Eveline Gugelmann-Henner of Rockport, who will attend the benefit to sign prints of her New York skyline painting during intermission.

Bangor firefighter-paramedic Jeff Sennett is helping organize the benefit.

He told me that his daughter “dances for Morita Tapley” of Hermon. Tapley knows the artist, and knew that she “was trying to find a way” to help victims of the terrorist attacks, Sennett said.

So Tapley put Sennett in touch with Gugelmann-Henner, who agreed to add her work to the efforts of local firefighters assisting their fellow public service employees.

The cost of the print is $60.

After deducting $10 for shipping and handling, the remaining $50 from each print will go to help victims and survivors of the attacks at the World Trade Center.

You may have seen a photo of the Guglemann-Henner’s painting in Friday’s Bangor Daily News but, if you missed that, you can view it and read a letter from the artist by visiting www.nyskyline.homestead.com.

As a point of clarification for those who did read the caption under the photo in Friday’s paper, proceeds from the sale of the artist’s prints, as well as proceeds from “Sounds of America,” will not go directly to Bangor Firefighters Local 772, but directly to a fund established for New York firefighters, police and members of the Port Authority, Sennett said.

In her Web site letter, Gugelmann-Henner writes of being “personally overwhelmed by the disaster,” but that she found people’s efforts to help “impressive, outstanding and encouraging.”

“As a newly established resident of the United States from Switzerland,” she wrote, “I hope that one of my artistic expressions might make an additional, symbolic contribution to the fund for victims and relatives of the victims of this disaster.”

She wrote that the original work “emerged from my first trip to the United States, some 25 years ago.”

“Fascinated by the skyline of Manhattan I enjoyed from a boat, I immediately felt bound to capture this magnificent scene on canvas.”

She considers the painting “a little jewel” in her private collection, but she also recognizes the painting could “have meaning for many people who want to remember this symbol of New York.”

She is right.

The painting has special meaning for anyone who was in any way connected to the World Trade Center.

At one time, my son worked on the 50th floor of the North Tower. I vividly recall my visit there. And flying by the city, or into it, it was the towers that always first caught your eye.

I found the painting hauntingly beautiful, and have already made my purchase.

No one yet knows what the future holds for the site many now consider sacred, but Gugelmann-Henner writes that her “personal hope is to see the World Trade Center rebuilt as a lasting symbol of New York, including a monument with the engraved names of all the people who lost their lives in this horrendous crime of unimaginable cynicism.”

To order a print by phone, call (866) 697-5954, or purchase one at the Sunday benefit.

Two Troy youngsters who definitely have learned what it means to be good, committed citizens, are 10-year-olds John “Woody” Sullivan and Stephen Danforth.

The boys wanted to do something to help after the Sept. 11 attacks, according to Stephen’s mother, Dot Danforth, so they decided on a donation drive for the American Red Cross.

With permission of their principal, they initiated a penny drive at school.

They visited local business owners in Troy and Unity to ask them to put up fliers seeking donations, using their mother’s Mason jars and even a little piggy bank belonging to Woody’s baby sister, Riley Sullivan.

The Troy General Store, McCormick’s Supermarket, Chase’s Home Furnishings, The Depot, The Beverage Mill, The Homestead Restaurant and Unitel were the collection points and, when members of the Troy Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary learned what the youngsters were doing, they made a donation, too.

At the end of two weeks, Woody and John had collected exactly $1,000.56, which they presented to the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Effort.

The fifth-graders, who are to be publicly thanked for their efforts, “would like to thank everyone in the community who gave, and also thank all those who helped in rolling all the change,” Stephen’s mom wrote.

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