Casey Family Services is a nonprofit child welfare agency with offices in Portland and Bangor that provides therapeutic foster care, post-adoption, family preservation and family reunification services.

Susan Knowlton, a social worker for CFS in Bangor, called to say that CFS has been “offering a support group in Ellsworth for families who have adopted” children.

“The group has been going for about a year now,” she added, “and we have opened it up for new members to join.”

The support group meets weekly on Monday evenings at the Unitarian-Universalist Church on Bucksport Road in Ellsworth.

“We do provide child care, and there is no charge to attend,” Knowlton explained.

People in Greater Ellsworth who are interested in this type of support group are urged to call Knowlton or Emily Shepard at the Bangor office, 973-2491, to arrange for an interview.

According to Bangor Daily News files, Casey Family Services is an arm of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a national children’s services group that annually compiles Kids Count, a statistical report on the status of children in this country.

Knowlton said Jim Casey, the founder of United Parcel Service, started the organization, which is named for his mother.

Orono Public Library director Kathy Molloy is offering “Cures for Cabin Fever” through the OPL Lecture Series, which features “Reading Western Films” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at the library on Goodridge Drive.

University of Maine English lecturer Judy Hakola, who is teaching a spring semester course titled “The American West in Fiction and Film,” will lead the discussion.

Brett Soucy, Bill Carollo and Mike Zubik of Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant in Orono are offering patrons an opportunity to assist with the work of the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter through its “Full Moon Margarita Madness” program.

Five percent of the entire event’s gross lounge sales for three separate evenings will be donated to BAHS, which provides emergency shelter and support services for homeless men and women and economically disadvantaged individuals in Greater Bangor and beyond.

The first Full Moon Margarita Madness is 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at Margarita’s, 15 Mill St., in Orono.

The second event is the same time Sunday, Feb. 16, and the final fund-raiser is also at the same time Tuesday, March 18, all at Margarita’s.

Local businesses will be donating prizes for the event as well.

Organizations, businesses or individuals interested in conducting a fund-raiser to benefit BAHS can call executive director Dennis Marble at 947-0092.

Those so kind and very caring folks who call the towns of Otis, Mariaville and the surrounding area home are back at it again, helping fellow community members who are experiencing difficulties and hardship.

Laura Salisbury of Otis called to say that a benefit potluck supper is planned for 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, at Beech Hill School.

The fund-raiser is to help with expenses incurred by school bus driver Jeff Mott, who recently had radiation for throat cancer.

A thankful Salisbury reported, “He is starting to get his voice back.”

Admission is by donation, and you are asked to bring a covered dish to share. Everything else will be provided.

Skiers seeking a good ticket price and an opportunity to help eradicate polio throughout the world can do so by skiing Sunday River in Newry on Friday, Jan. 24.

Lift tickets for that day are $40, and 100 percent of the ticket proceeds will be donated by Sunday River to the Rotary International Polio Eradication Program.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call a member of your local Rotary club or Bob Laux at (800) 535-2220.

I’ll have more detailed information about this at the end of the month, but I just want you to know that the Down East Hospice “Be Our Valentine” dinner and auction begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the American Legion Hall on Calais Avenue in Calais.

Tickets are $20 per person, and reservations must be made before Saturday, Feb. 1, with Linda Gralenski at 726-5837.

You can visit calaishospital.org for more information and a preview of the artwork.

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