The annual Women’s Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the church located on the corner of Essex Street and Grandview Avenue in Bangor.

Members of the public are invited not only to participate, but also to contribute to the work of the participants.

Church member Kathy Weinzinger of Bangor explained that at previous conferences women attended classes but that last year, “we started doing service projects and it was such a huge success we’re going to continue to do that.”

Members of several different churches work on projects during the day that range from collecting canned goods for food pantries to making bags and lap quilts for nursing homes.

“We are going to have a blood drive, and one church group is working with Kits for Kids, collecting items for duffel bags” that are given children who are – sometimes suddenly – placed in foster care, she said.

It is this type of activity in which you are invited to participate or to which you are invited to make a donation.

Weinzinger wants readers to know the event “begins with an opening program that is a little spiritual and a little practical,” but that the actual project work begins at 11 a.m., so you can choose to arrive at either time.

For your information, here’s what’s taking place that day. From this list, you may be able to select something in which you can participate or something you can do to help.

An American Red Cross blood drive will be conducted by one of the Bangor church groups beginning at 9 a.m., and the other Bangor group will be working on Kits for Kids, putting together items of new clothing, toys, books or other comfort items for children.

Belfast church members are collecting food, and sewing burial outfits for premature babies in memory of the baby of one of their church members.

Dover-Foxcroft church members will demonstrate and explain a 72-hour emergency preparedness kit you can put together that will help you survive in an emergency.

“It contains things like food, rain gear, flashlight [and] diapers if you have children,” Weinzinger said.

“Our church suggests that everyone be prepared to grab a bag in an emergency and leave if you have to.”

Ellsworth church members are preparing items for nursing home residents, such as lower back pillows for wheelchairs, and mini totes for eyeglasses and other similar items.

The Farmington group will feature exercise and instruction in fitness and health, and the Machias church members are putting together 100 kits for children in schools in Third World countries that contain items such as pencils, chalk, notebooks and rulers.

The Newport group is making lap quilts for cancer care units, and Rockland church members are putting together infant packets for needy young parents at Penobscot Bay Medical Center that include receiving blankets, nightgowns, disposable diapers and sleepers.

The Skowhegan women are making T-shirt dresses for international humanitarian aid distribution and need sets of 10-12 matching 1/2-inch or 11/2-inch buttons.

And the Waterville women are preparing 1,000 hygiene kits containing shampoo, soap, towels, toothbrushes and other items that will be used for international distribution to victims of war or natural disasters.

Aside from the items listed above, contributions of children’s sweat shirts and T-shirts from youth to extra large sizes would be appreciated for the Kits for Kids project, and bags of polyfil and grommets and grommet setters to make pillows and minitotes.

For wall hangings, items such as ribbon, lace and small artificial flowers would be appreciated, and infant clothing up to size 6 months is needed for the infant packets.

It is requested that all donated items be new.

The contact person to make donations before the day of the event, is Cheryl Crabtree. You can reach her at 394-2832.

Otherwise, Weinzinger reports, “people can bring donations to the conference the day of the event.”

The American Field Service Club of Bangor High School presents the Acadia Big Band of Bar Harbor in concert, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at Peakes Auditorium at BHS on Broadway in Bangor.

The suggested donation is $10 for adults and $5 for students. All donations are welcome.

Proceeds benefit the Charles and Nancy Grant Scholarship Fund, which was established to help Maine Dirigo Area Team students participate in the AFS high school exchange program.

Acadia Big Band’s Jazz Combo opens the show followed by the full 21-piece band at 7 p.m.

Jazz classics, including works by John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk and Count Basie will be performed by the band, which was formed last year by percussionist, composer and conductor Joe Wainer.

The purpose of the combined band of high school students and professionals is to help support community nonprofit organizations throughout Eastern Maine.

For more information about this concert, call Linda Packard at 990-2774.

Errors by some have led to good fortune and better nutrition for others.

Sgt. Doug Tibbetts of the Maine Warden Service reported last week that “700 pounds of confiscated deer and moose meat, split approximately three ways,” was presented to the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, Spruce Run in Bangor and Crossroads Ministries in Old Town.

“This is meat that we confiscated last fall,” Tibbetts explained.

“The majority of it came from some large poaching operations that we prosecuted in the winter in central Maine.”

Tibbetts said the MWS “had a whole pickup truck” full of meat that was delivered by its members to organizations that help feed the homeless and needy in our area.

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