Although many businesses throughout Maine already have donated to the 16th annual PICA auction, which will take place 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at College Center, University College, 201 Texas Ave., Bangor, contributions to PICA’s major fund-raiser of the year are still welcome.

Deborah Brown reports that Tom Mikotowitz of the University of Maine in Orono theater department will serve as auctioneer for the event, which also includes a silent auction.

“We will have lots of ‘sweat-free’ items, made with care and dignity,” Brown said of “the highest-quality items” available to those who attend.

And while the purpose of the auction is to raise funds to support the work of PICA – Peace through Interamerican Community Action, which is located at 170 Park St. in Bangor, the event also serves to “build socially conscious values by providing the opportunity to do holiday shopping with a conscience,” Brown said.

“It’s lots of fun, and our items are very unique and unusual. We have some fabulous donations.”

Brown said that among the items on the auction block will be a one-day ocean sailing trip with a guided tour of Prospect Harbor, a weekend at two lakeside cottages, a $100 furniture shopping spree, equal exchange organic whole-bean coffee, American Indian sweet grass and brown baskets and an exquisite wool shawl.

“We have lots of ‘sweat-free’ clothing donated by clean-clothes retailers from around the state,” she added, “and lots of pottery of all shapes and designs, lots of food, three offers of one-day carpentry, restaurant gift certificates, and vegetarian meals made to order.”

If you would like to make a donation to this annual event or to learn more about PICA, call Brown at 942-1524 or PICA at 947-4203.

Want to add a new dimension to your holiday party?

The Bangor Museum and Center for History is offering the use of its 19th century Thomas A. Hill House at 156 Union St. in Bangor for holiday parties as well as the new, more contemporary, Bangor Museum located at 6 State St. in Bangor.

The rental fee for the Hill House, which can accommodate 50 people for a cocktail party or buffet, is $350 for a two-hour event.

Additional hours are $100 each, and arrangements can be made for docents to give tours of the historic home.

The fee to rent the Bangor Museum, which holds up to 100 people for a cocktail party or buffet and can accommodate a speaker or include a gallery tour, is $500 for a two-hour event.

Additional hours are $150 each. The fee includes the services of an on-site coordinator, cleaning and security fees, and the museum can arrange catering or you can supply your own food.

Individuals and businesses are welcome to call 942-5766 for more information about these new holiday rental opportunities that benefit the work of the Bangor Museum and Center for History.

With Gov. Angus King having officially declared November as Maine Ending Hunger Month, several organizations that provide food to the needy take advantage of the Partners in Ending Hunger’s Incentive Grant Program.

Participating organizations that conduct fund-raising activities between Friday, Nov. 22, and Monday, Dec. 2, can earn a PEH grant of up to 10 percent of the money they raise.

I have received information from three area organizations that are participating in the program that will be helped by any contributions you make during this time period: Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry of Ellsworth and the Washington County Children’s Program based in Machias.

For more information about how your donations can help BAHS, which is also conducting its “annual appeal” during the month of November, call BAHS at 947-0092.

Donations can be sent to Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, P.O. Box 145, Ellsworth 04605.

For more information about how you can help WCCP receive funding from Partners in Ending Hunger, call 225-3426 or (800) 545-0873.

To learn more about all Partners in Ending Hunger programs, call (800) 786-7486.

What a delightful few days these youngsters have enjoyed.

Kathy Lena of Orono told me the Bangor Youth Chamber Ensemble left Thursday and is returning today from New York City, where it performed in several public schools and the Shostakovich Society in Brooklyn.

Directed by Bangor strings teacher Samuel Glazman, the ensemble consists of nine Bangor-area middle and high school students. The ensemble has been performing since 1998, and prepared a full year for this trip.

The ensemble includes Bangor High School students MacKenzie Gass, Hannah Siegel, Claire Blanke, Jack Keenan and Andrew LeClair; John Bapst Memorial High School student Ryan Lena, William S. Cohen School student Aliza Thibodeau, James F. Doughty School student Joanna McFarland and Wassookeag School student Michelle Dempsey.

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