For eight years, twice a month, members of a collaborative community group have been meeting to plan a conference to discuss issues of child abuse, prevention and neglect.

Nancy Kelly, field coordinator for the University of Maine School of Social Work, reports the group will old its eighth conference, “The Culture of Violence: How It Impacts the Welfare of Children,” 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at the Bangor Civic Center.

With April being National Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Awareness Month, the conference coincides with activities related to addressing this complex and often tragic issue.

The keynote speaker is Jackson Katz, who is widely known for his pioneering work in the field of gender violence prevention education with men and boys, particularly in the sports culture and the military.

Katz is co-founder of the Mentors of Violence Prevention program and has lectured at hundreds of colleges and high schools and participated in professional training, seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Japan.

Kelly describes Katz’s “you-the-man” offering as “a wonderful one-man presentation.” It is titled “Tough Guise: Violence, Media and the Crisis in Masculinity.”

“He does different voices, like [actress] Lily Tomlin, and discusses healthy relationships, dating violence and sexual assault,” Kelly said.

The local conference is partially funded through grants, and is co-sponsored by the Bangor Police Department, Eastern Maine Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program, EMMC SCAN Program and EMMC Women and Children’s Services.

Other co-sponsors are Families United CAPE program, Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, Penobscot County Child Abuse and Neglect Council of Penquis CAP, Spruce Run and the UM School of Social Work.

Local representatives in morning workshops will include Francine Stark, community response and training coordinator for Spruce Run Association, addressing “Domestic Violence, Children and the Law.”

University of Maine assistant professors Elizabeth Allan and Jay Peters will discuss “The Impact of Violence on Children and Their Performance in School.”

Bangor Police Department Lt. Ron Gastia and Amy McCormick of the Shaw House will address the issue of “Taking It to the Streets: How Violence Impacts Some of Our Most Vulnerable Children.”

Katz and Sandy Caron of UMaine’s Athletes for Sexual Responsibility, will discuss “The Big Picture: How Violence Impacts Us All.”

Admission to the conference, which is open to the public, is $65 per person, and reservations must be made by Thursday, April 25.

“We don’t make any money on this,” Kelly pointed out, referring to the admission charge.

“The fee covers breakfast, lunch, the keynote speaker and renting the Civic Center” – which, by the way, is a major indicator of how important this conference has become over the years.

“We started, the first year, with about 50 people,” Kelly said, “and now we are close to 250 to 300 people signed up.

“We had to move out of any hotel in the area, so that is why we are at the Civic Center.”

Kelly hopes many people will take advantage of this “full-day conference to really look at the culture of violence and how it impacts kids, especially kids at risk – those who are abused, traumatized, removed from their homes for safety or are living on the street.”

To register for the conference, call Kelly’s office, 581-2378, by Thursday, April 25.

Congratulations are extended to individuals who will receive the “2 Those Who Care” awards during dinner and festivities that feature the Retired Senior Volunteers Program’s annual recognition of more than 500 volunteers who serve this area.

As part of National Volunteer Week, the United Way of Eastern Maine and WLBZ-TV will salute these caring individuals and others beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, at the Bangor Civic Center.

“2 Those Who Care” award winners include Sullivan volunteer firefighter Jeff Austin, who not only maintains the department’s fleet of vehicles, but also donated a kidney to a fellow firefighter.

Award winner Alice Wilkinson volunteers at the Robbinston School in Calais, where she teaches art and writing while helping children publish a community newsletter and produce full-length plays.

Bangor Police Department Lt. Bob Welch is being recognized for his volunteer work with Special Olympics, and in a Bangor classroom as part of UWEM’s “Read for Success” program.

Mascha Litten will be honored, posthumously, and 84-year-old Jeanette Thulin will receive her award, for their work in transcribing books into Braille for blind students.

Also, the John W. Coombs award, given to an individual who has made an outstanding commitment to a UWEM agency, will be presented to Ervin “Tiny” Huntington for his work with The Salvation Army’s Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen. Huntington does anything that’s asked of him, despite living on a fixed income with a physical disability.

And Penquis CAP will be recognized as the Agency of Distinction for its skillful use of time, talent and resources to help improve the quality of life for its clients and the community.

Mary Sullivan of Bangor wants readers to know that tickets for the All Saints Catholic School 12th annual dinner auction are sold by advance purchase only.

Doors for the school’s annual fund-raiser open for the silent auction bidding at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at Spectacular Events Center, at 395 Griffin Road.

Tickets are $15 per person, and may be purchased only by visiting or calling St. Mary’s campus, 768 Ohio St., 947-7063; St. John’s campus, 166 State St., 942-0955; at Rebecca’s Gift Shop, 43 Main St. in Bangor, or at Spectacular Events Center.

Raffle tickets for an Old Town Loon kayak, with paddles, are available after all weekend Masses at St. Mary’s and St. John’s churches as well as at both school campuses.

A member of the All Saints Catholic School community will draw the winning raffle ticket at the auction.

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