Through the thoughtful effort of Bangor Band member Bob Pentland of Lamoine, I am pleased to share with you the 2002 Bangor Band summer concert schedule.

The Bangor Band is believed to be this country’s second-oldest continuously performing community band, established in 1859.

Pentland notes that “Bangor is indeed fortunate” not only to be home to the second-oldest continuously performing community band, but home to the Bangor Symphony Orchestra as well.

The BSO is the oldest community orchestra in the United States providing continuous service. The 2002-2003 season will be the 107th for the BSO, which was established in 1896.

But it is the Bangor Band we are focusing our attention on today, and Pentland reminds the public that “all Bangor Band concerts are free of charge.”

Making his debut as the Bangor Band’s conductor will be Fred Heath, retired band director at the University of Maine in Orono.

“Our repertoire, of 40 or more selections for this season,” Pentland wrote, “includes marches, classical and light classical music, as well as show tunes, pop themes and solos: Music to suit just about any taste.”

For you to clip and save, here is the 2002 Bangor Band schedule.

The season opens at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, at the Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St. in Bangor.

The band next appears at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, at Bass Park Bandstand on Main Street in Bangor, and then participates in R.B. Hall Day at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 29, in Farmington.

The band performs a neighborhood concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, in Fairmount Park, between Norway and Silver roads in Bangor; then at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at the Bass Park Bandstand.

The Bass Park Bandstand will be the site for the next two concerts, both at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, and Tuesday, July 16.

It’s a water view for the concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, when the band plays at the Bangor waterfront, and another neighborhood concert at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, at Chapin Park on Bangor’s East Side, between Forest and Parkview streets.

It is back to the Bass Park Bandstand for the 7 p.m. concert Tuesday, Aug. 6, and then the band will play at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Fort Knox Visitors Center in Frankfort.

The final August concert is 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, at the Bass Park Bandstand, and the 2002 Summer Season ends with the Labor Day Weekend concert at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at Cascade Park on State Street in Bangor.

It is my hope that all went well for Dave Pickering, director of operations for Doug and Linda Quagliaroli, owners of McDonald’s restaurants in Belfast, Bucksport, Caribou, Ellsworth, Machias, Old Town and Presque Isle.

Pickering should be arriving in Lubec today, completing a three-day solo bike ride across Maine to raise money for the Portland and Bangor Ronald McDonald Houses.

Pickering departed from Gilead, on our western border, and planned to average 95 miles a day traveling along Route 2 to Bangor and Routes 9 and 180 into Ellsworth, from where he will take Route 1 into Lubec, on our eastern border.

Before the ride began, Pickering had raised $1,200 in pledges, which he will divide between the facilities.

Evangeline Matijczyk of Newport wrote to ask that readers assist in obtaining information about the history of the North Newport Christen Church, which was built 1857.

“We are trying to learn more about the church,” she wrote. “We would enjoy hearing from people who were married in the church, baptized in the church” or had family funerals in the church, as well as “any activities that were held there.”

You can send information to Matijczyk, 69 Gray Road, Newport 04953.

H.O.M.E. Inc. of Orland is preparing for its annual Craft & Farm Fair, which is planned for Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 17 and 18.

The organization is providing information and taking reservations for crafters’ tables or booths.

Donations will be accepted, but there is no fee for reserved spaces.

Anyone interested in participating in this event can call Lorraine Mooers or Jo Barry at 469-7961.

For the first time ever, Hospice of Eastern Maine’s Pathfinders: Support for Grieving Children, will conduct a summer session every Tuesday, beginning Tuesday, June 25, and continuing through Tuesday, July 30, at Bangor Christian School, 1476 Broadway in Bangor.

Founded by Bangor teacher Maria Brountas and the late Barbara Eames, Pathfinders is a grief support program for children and families or caregivers experiencing the death of a loved one.

Linda Boyle coordinates the program, which recognizes that unresolved childhood grief can prompt misbehavior, poor school patterns, juvenile dependency and can severely affect adult relationships.

A surprising statistic provided by Hospice of Eastern Maine is that one-third of children in an average classroom experience some form of loss every year.

Pathfinders works to help children share feelings and experiences with other children their own age.

Feelings are expressed and released through stories, games, drawings, discussion, play and other activities.

Adults who accompany children to Pathfinders meet at the same time, in their own group.

The groups are facilitated by trained Hospice of Eastern Maine volunteers.

Interested families are asked to call Boyle, at 973-8269, for an interview.

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