Halloween comes a little earlier to Bangor this year, and it’s guaranteed to be a little scarier, a little more fun and a bigger and better celebration than ever.

That’s the word from Bangor Noon Kiwanis and Sprague’s Nursery, which are hosting the second Haunted Forest from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Sprague’s on outer Union Street.

Your $2 admission goes a very long way to do a great deal of good: All proceeds benefit Children’s Miracle Network of Eastern Maine Healthcare, and last year’s event far surpassed expectations.

“We thought we would make $500 to $600,” said Jane Searles, who is the Kiwanis representative for CMN, “and we ended making more than $4,000!”

With such a successful start, getting support, volunteers and donations for this year’s event was a piece of cake. Not only are the folks at Sprague’s and Kiwanis members all pitching in, but so are many others.

Both the John Bapst Memorial High School and Bangor High School Key Clubs are actively involved, as are Husson College and University of Maine students and members of the American Legion.

“Students and other volunteers will be ghosts and goblins, tour guides, or help with the food and beverage service,” Searles said.

“Dunkin’ Donuts employees are helping too, and Dunkin’ Donuts on Main Street is providing 100 percent of the beverages and Munchkins.”

Searles said the idea for the project came from Sprague’s desire “to do something for the community.” And, after the outstanding response last year, she said, “it’s going to be even better this year. Sprague’s is going to be even more exciting.”

The Terrain of Terror — which is the scary path — might be just fine for Mom, Dad and the big kids, but if little ones want to wait until they’re through, child care will be provided.

The little kids’ path “will have more fairy tale characters and be more fun,” Searles said. Children will be able to collect treats along the way and Sprague’s has 2,500 bags “with little knicknacks” inside waiting for them.

“It’s turned into being a wonderful community event,” Searles said of the Haunted Forest. “It benefits families, the community and kids.”

“The family has a great time for $2, and the children from central to northern Maine benefit from this fund-raiser. People from 2 to 92 will enjoy it, and we hope they come.”

Make a Difference Day, a program of our USA Weekend magazine, is Saturday, and opportunities for you to participate are many and varied.

For example, Maine Audubon’s Fields Pond Nature Center in Holden is seeking volunteers to help expand and improve its wheelchair-accessible pathway into the butterfly garden. Work on that project starts there at 1 p.m.

Other opportunties for you to help at the Center include building a picnic area for children, and making a small pond for birds, frogs and other wildlife. You need not know how to perform this work without instruction, because Pat Snyder, a volunteer wildlife landscaper, will be there to assist you.

If you want more information about making a difference at the Nature Center, call 989-2591.

Delta Delta Delta, the national women’s fraternity, has a new East collegiate alumnae relations coordinator, and she would love to meet other members of that organization residing in this area.

Paula Baines is a 1989 University of Maine alumna, who served as Alpha Kappa Chapter advisor for Tri Delta at the university last year.

In her new position, Baines will be working with alumnae chapters and collegiate chapters from Ottawa, Canada, to Miami, Fla.

Her charge is to develop programs that encourage alumnae to work with the collegiate members in their area, and develop programs to encourage and ensure future alumnae participation by college students.

As a way to introduce herself to the local Tri Delta alumnae, college students and their family members, Baines is hosting an open house from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 24, at her home, 355 Old County Road in Hampden.

Baines hopes Tri Deltas and their family members will stop by for her “muffin chat” but, if you can’t, and you would like more information on her work for the organization, call Baines at 947-0087 or e-mail her at HildaScoop@aol.com.

The Maine Veterans’ Home annual craft fair is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, in the facility’s multipurpose room at 44 Hogan Road.

Numerous vendors will offer their wares for sale, with 10 percent of the proceeds benefiting the MVH residents’ council, which will use the proceeds to purchase specialty items for the residents and community involvement programs.

The public is invited, and encouraged, to stop by and support this fund-raiser.

Members of Alpha Delta Kappa of Bangor, a sorority of women educators, recently honored Donn Fendler of Clarksville, Tenn., with its Founder’s Day Award.

The Founder’s Day Award annually recognizes someone whose volunteer efforts have benefited the people of Maine in some educational aspect.

In July 1939, when he was just 12 years old, Fendler survived nine days alone, after getting lost, on Mount Katahdin. The account of his plight became a Maine classic, “Donn Fendler: Lost on a Mountain in Maine,” written with Joseph B. Egan.

According to sorority member Peggy Larrabee, Fendler and his wife return to Maine each June to spend the summer and fall months and, while he is here, “he generously visits classrooms all over the state to talk to children who have enjoyed his story of survival.”

Larrabee said Fendler has visited hundreds of classrooms, giving children individual attention and autographing books or maps for them, and that “he realizes no profit from the sale of his book.”

Larrabee said Fendler’s school visits are appreciated “by the teachers and children of Maine.”

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