With this week’s announcement by American Red Cross interim chief executive officer Harold Decker that the organization will soon cease its appeals for donations to the Liberty Fund to help victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, you have an excellent opportunity to make a final contribution to that fund.

Just For Kicks, a blues and rock ‘n roll band in the mid-coast area, is presenting a “God Bless America” benefit dance from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Blue Goose in Northport.

Tickets are $8 at the door, and youngsters under the age of 12 are admitted free.

Just For Kicks is a group of five musicians who’ve been together for about five years.

“We’re all old hands at groups, and we do it for the fun of it,” Mike Nickerson of Belfast told me. “We all have day jobs. We’re not trying to make it a weekend thing. We just like playing.”

Nickerson plays bass and harmonica, and helps on vocals.

Cheryl Cummings of Northport is the lead vocalist, and Gary Grant of Morrill is the group’s drummer. Jeff Hall of Warren plays lead guitar, and Bob Strusz of Morrill is on rhythm guitar. They both join in on vocals.

While performing their special blend of music for those who like to dance, they integrate many of their original songs with recognized favorites.

The group decided on the Liberty Fund benefit in remembrance of those affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

Anne Crowley, president of the Carmel Firemen’s Auxiliary, announces that organization is hosting a hunters supper from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Carmel Grange Hall.

The menu is beef stew or chili, biscuits and tossed salad with gingerbread and whipped cream for dessert.

Admission is $5 for adults and $2.50 for children under the age of 12.

Members of the auxiliary and fire department are also raffling $150 worth of heating fuel, and the winning ticket will be drawn at the supper.

Tickets are $1 each or $5 for a book of six.

If you want tickets and cannot attend the supper, call Anne Crowley, 848-3877, Bill Crowley, 848-3541, or speak with any Carmel firefighter.

Members of the Castine Arts Association are going to be busy in the next two months, and they hope you’ll keep up with them.

The CAA is hosting a slide lecture with Kay Campbell of the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, at the BIW Humanities Auditorium at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.

Campbell’s subject is “Nineteenth Century Marine Paintings.”

The CAA is also conducting a series of cooking classes by local professionals and amateur cooks this month and next.

First up is Par Kettis, who will make gravlax, a Swedish salmon dish, contrasting the taste and texture with smoked salmon at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, at Kettis’ Kitchen on the Common.

Admission is $5 for CAA members and $10 for nonmembers. The class is limited to 12 people.

The remaining classes are in December, and I’ll have more information about them as that time approaches.

All classes are participation style, and will be followed by a sampling meal.

To secure your place, send a check to Peggy Rogers, P.O. Box 281, Castine 04421.

As CAA member Margaret Rogers pointed out, maybe some of our readers “would like to take a nice drive up to beautiful Castine and spend a happy day cooking and eating something delicious.”

Arbutus Grange in Surry is, once again, doing something to help its neighbors.

Grange members are sponsoring a country-western benefit show from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Grange Hall on Route 172 in Surry.

The show is to assist with expenses incurred by cancer patient Larry Farrell and his wife, Andra Farrell, who has lupus.

Larry Farrell must travel to Boston for treatment, and folks who know the family are doing all they can to help ease that financial burden.

Music will be provided by the local favorite Low Key Band.

For more information about this benefit, call band member June Curtis at 223-4853.

We have received word from Jeffrey Carlquist, food drive chairman for Beta Zeta Chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha International Fraternity on the campus of the University of Maine in Orono, that the annual Lambda Chi Alpha food drive is now underway.

Last year’s national food drive resulted in a record-setting 2 million pounds of food collected.

Lambda Chi asks that you make a nonperishable food donation to your local food bank or pantry.

Bangor donations can go to the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen, Ecumenical Food Cupboard and Together Place Food Pantry.

In Brewer, it’s the WMHA Fiddlehead Food Pantry and in Dover-Foxcroft the Living Word Ecumen Food Cupboard.

Donations in Corinna can be made at the Corinna UMC Food Pantry and in Dexter at the Dexter Community Food Closet.

Donations can also be made at the Chester Baptist Food Pantry, the Newport Community Food Bank, the Springfield Community Chapel Soup Kitchen, the Howland UMC Food Pantry and the Stetson Food Cupboard.

Other collection sites are the Tri-town Baptist Food Pantry in East Millinocket, Linda’s Food Cupboard in Levant, St. Mary’s Community Food Cupboard in Lincoln and the Good Samaritan Mission in Monson.

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