Areawide

Denim Day 2008

Denim Day 2008, the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Campaign, has scheduled activities to challenge attitudes that condone or excuse sexual assault:

. A Call to Men: “Well-Meaning Men,” community presentation by Tony Porter, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 10, Penobscot Job Corps Center, 1375 Union St. Bangor. Free.

. Public lecture by Tony Porter, 7 p.m. Thursday, April 10, Room 100, D.P. Corbett Building, University of Maine. Free.

. Stay-at-Home Ball on WEZQ, 6-8 p.m. Friday, April 11. Live broadcast with Dorian Daniels on 92.9 FM. In addition to classic and contemporary romantic music, staff from Rape Response Services will be on air to answer questions, dispel myths and describe services offered by the agency in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

. A Call to Young Men(tors) Conference: Committed to Ending Violence Against Women with special guests Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe and Tony Porter, co-founder of A Call to Men, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 12, Neville Hall, University of Maine. To register, call Nicky at 941-1194, ext. 12, or nicky@mcedv.org.

. radKIDS, Personal Em-powerment and Safety Education Program for children ages 5-7, 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, April 19 and 26, May 3, 10 and 17. Register, Angel Shaw, 941-2980.

. RAD Basic Women’s Self Defense with the Bangor Police Department and Rape Response Services, 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 22-May 8, Bangor Police Department. For information and registration, call Cathy Rumsey at 947-7384.

. Consent is Sexy: “Ask Me” Campaign, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, Penobscot Job Corps; 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, Beal College Student Lounge; 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, Memorial Union, University of Maine, Orono; 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, April 24, Campus Center, Husson College; 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, University College Bangor, Eastport Hall.

. 15th HOPE Festival to celebrate Earth Day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 19, Field House, University of Maine, Orono.

. Night of Hope and Healing, 6-8 p.m. Saturday, April 28, Keith Anderson Community Center, Bennoch Road, Orono. An evening of live music to benefit rape response services. Sponsored by DADGAD Coffee House. A $5 suggested donation includes deserts and alcohol-free beverages.

. Teen Speak, hosted by the River Coalition, 5-7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, Old Town Public Library. Rape Response Services has been invited to speak to a group of about 25 Old Town teens about consent, Internet stalking, healthy relationships, risk reduction and other topics.

Bangor

Passover Seder

BANGOR – Congregation Beth Israel will hold its annual Passover Seder at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 20, at the synagogue, 144 York St. Cantor Benjamin Matis will lead services and the Seder.

Tickets are $22 for adults, $7 for children and $54 for families. Reservations will be accepted through Monday, April 14. To make reservations, call 945-3433.

Celebrating space flight

The public is invited to participate in a two-part celebration on Saturday, April 12, at the Challenger Learning Center of Maine, 30 Venture Way.

The celebration is for Yuri’s Night, honoring Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who took his place in history as the first human to leave the bounds of Earth and enter outer space on April 12, 1961.

Twenty years later on April 12, 1981, the United States launched the first space shuttle. Forty years later on April 12, 2001, Yuri’s Night was celebrated around the world to bring the excitement, passion and promise of space travel closer to those of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds. Even residents of the international space station join the fun.

More than 120 Yuri’s Night events will be held on April 12 in 40 countries on seven continents. In Bangor, the Challenger Learning Center will hold a two-part celebration that begins with a BYOR – bring your own rocket – Rocket Launch and Cake at 6 p.m.

For those who don’t have a rocket, arrive at 5:30 p.m. to build your own with the help of the center’s flight directors. The Rocket Launch event is free.

The Challenger Learning Center will hold a Public Mission at 6:45 p.m. Participants will become mission controllers and astronauts, completing a “Rendezvous with a Comet” for those age 9 to adult. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. The cost is $15, $10 students.

Preregistration is required for both events at 990-2900, ext. 4.

World view of terrorism

Col. Michael J. Meese, head of the Combating Terrorism Center, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, will speak on “Terrorism: A World View” at 7:30 a.m. Friday, April 18, at the Husson College World View Series breakfast at the Dyke Center for Family Business.

Make reservations by April 16 at 941-7129 or Donahuem@

Husson.edu. Admission is $10. The event is presented in cooperation with the University of Maine’s William S. Cohen Center.

Meese is a professor and head of the department of social sciences at the U.S. Military Academy. He teaches economics and national security courses and leads 70 military and civilian faculty members in the department as well as the Combating Terrorism Center.

Annual ‘Poets Speak’

The Bangor Public Library will present the sixth annual Poets Speak 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, in the library’s Lecture Hall.

The event will feature a book launch for Catherine Schmitt’s “Coastal Companion.”

Schmitt, a marine science and environmental writer at the University of Maine, will introduce a number of poets whose most recent works appear in her book.

They include Ellen Goldsmith, Cheryl Daigle, Candice Stover, Kathleen Ellis, Annaliese Jakamides and Elizabeth Tibbetts.

Readings also will be given by poets Lee Sharkey and Jackie Michaud. University of Maine students will offer poetry and music.

Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Course for seniors on Penobscot River

As part of its Senior Seminars series, Bangor Adult and Community Education will offer a two-day course on the environmental history of the Penobscot River 3-5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, April 30-May 1.

The seminar will focus on the water quality history of the river, beginning with an overview of the river’s natural chemistry. Participants will learn about the industries and activities that have affected the river over the last 300 years.

The instructor is Catherine Schmitt, a science writer with the Sen. George J. Mitchell Center and Maine Sea Grant at the University of Maine. To enroll, call Bangor Adult Education at 992-5523 or visit www.bangoradulted.org.

Author Geaumont

Melinda Josiah Geaumont, author of “Becoming Auma,” will be speak at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at the Lecture Hall, Bangor Public Library.

Her book is the tale of 13 close girlhood friends who support each other through the slings and arrows of adult life, the “magic and mayhem of motherhood,” and the difficulties of divorce, sickness and separation.

Geaumont reminds the reader that some ordinary moments, given consideration, are really too wonderful to be taken for granted. She is a working social worker and psychotherapist who lives in Springvale. Her book will be available for purchase and signing.

Brewer

Award for Gail Kelley

U.S. Sen. Olympia J. Snowe praised her state director and longtime friend, Gail Kelly of Brewer, for being honored as a recipient of the prestigious John Joseph Moakley Award for Exemplary Public Service.

Kelly has worked on behalf of Snowe and the state of Maine for more than 20 years – first as a staff assistant when Snowe served in the House of Representatives – and now as her state director since 2004.

Kelly’s contributions to the state include service on the Multiple Sclerosis Society’s board of directors, the Brewer City Council and the Husson College board of directors.

“I would like to congratulate Gail Kelly on this tremendous honor and thank her for her continued service to the state of Maine,” Snowe said. “For the past 20 years, Gail’s compassionate and effective service has undoubtedly improved the lives of countless Mainers. From her tireless efforts assisting dislocated workers in the wake of multiple industry and small business closings to her solid achievements in constituent casework, Gail is a revered champion of the citizens of our great state. I am thrilled that the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board recognized what Maine has known for many years, and has honored Gail for her unwavering dedication to public service.”

Bestowed by the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board and the Moakley Family, the award recognizes an outstanding staff member who represents a member of the New England Congressional delegation through exceptional and inventive work on behalf of their constituents. Named for U.S. Rep. John Joseph Moakley, the Moakley Award was established in 2001 and is awarded annually during National Public Service Week.

Community Seder

Congregation Beth El of Bangor will hold a community Seder at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 20, at Jeff’s Catering, 5 Coffin Ave. Make your plans to attend this traditional celebration on the second night of Passover.

Rabbi Darah Lerner will lead the Seder. Participants will take part in the readings from the Haggadah, and share in the traditional meal of gefilte fish, matzoh ball soup and a chicken or vegetarian entree. Bring the children to hunt for Afikoman.

For reservations, call 945-4578 by April 15. The cost is $25 adults and children age 13 or older, $15 age 12 or under for Congregation Beth El members. The cost to others is $30 adults, $17 children 12 or younger.

Holden

Wildlife in Africa

Ron Davis, University of Maine ecology professor emeritus, will give a presentation about his wildlife adventures with Lee Davis in Alaska. Close-ups of plant and animal wildlife in their natural habitats will be featured.

The photographs range from tundra wildflowers in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the glaciers and marine mammals along the Inside Passage in southeastern Alaska. He will include aspects of the awe-inspiring Denali National Park, including grizzly bears.

“Wildlife Adventures in Alaska” will be presented at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, at Fields Pond Audubon Center. Admission is $5 members, $6 others. Proceeds benefit the nature center.

Also of interest is Ron Davis’ photography exhibition, “An Ecologist’s Travels,” on display through June at Fields Pond. His photographs have been taken on several continents and concentrate on a wide range of ecological subjects.

Davis recently established EcoPhoto International, through which he offers his photographic skills without profit for the benefit of environmental organizations. His photos have been used by several book authors and are included in several of his own scientific papers.

Old Town

Public walking trails

Penobscot Valley Pathways, a group dedicated to encouraging area residents to get out and enjoy the many public walking trails in the community, will hold a public walk in Old Town.

Join them at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 13, at the Old Town Elementary School parking lot on Stillwater Avenue.

Wear appropriate attire for the weather. Trails may be wet or icy, so wear appropriate foot gear. Upcoming events include the Orono Bog Walk, set for 2-4 p.m. Sunday, May 4, in the Bangor City Forest.

Orono

Orchid sale and show

The Eastern Maine Orchid society will hold its annual Orchid Sale and Show 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at the Clapp Greenhouses, University of Maine.

Attendees will see beautiful orchids on display and may purchase healthy orchid plants, many ready to bloom. Talk with local growers, both expert and beginner. Care sheets are available for the plants being sold, and purchasers may ask questions of and share experiences with area orchid lovers.

Plants for sale range from easy-to-grow hybrids to more exotic and challenging species.

Choose from a selection of cattleyas, dendrobiums, miltonias, paphiopedilums and much more. Talk with society members and pick the plants that will thrive best in your environment.

While at the Clapp Greenhouses, tour the university’s orchid collection.

Eastern Maine Orchid Society was organized in 2000 to foster the love and appreciation of orchids. It is committed to educating the public about the many species and hybrids of orchids and the joy of growing them.

The club meets monthly, September through June, to exchange ideas and information with other orchid enthusiasts and area experts. Topics have included orchid pests and diseases and what to do about them, ikebana using orchids, and a slide program on the wild orchids of Maine. Society members take field trips to orchid growers and places such as the Maine Botanical Gardens.

Proceeds from the sale help fund a book award for a University of Maine horticulture student.

For information about the sale or Eastern Maine Orchid Society’s activities, call Janelle Delicata at 567-3822 or Sue Rudnicki at 848-5656.

Green Expo

A Green Expo will highlight the l4th annual HOPE, or Help Organize Peace Earthwide, Festival 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at the University of Maine’s Field House. The festival will offer ways to live an environmentally sustainable lifestyle as we approach the 38th anniversary of Earth Day. More than 60 organizations and businesses will share information to help create a better world.

The Green Expo will feature films about climate change, an electric car and a display of miniature windmills and solar panels. Interfaith Power and Light, the Maine Recycling Office, Cooperative Extension and the Maine Solar Energy Association will share information about what they are doing to help curb the impact of climate change. A farmer’s market will offer specialty cheeses, breads and hot dishes from local farmers and producers.

Organizer Sandy Tardiff said, “Supporting local farmers and businesses is a great way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The children’s program will feature Earth Day crafts and activities with the Hudson Museum and Windover Arts. There will be a parade with musical instruments made from recycled items. Richard Merrill’s puppet, Nasruddin, will entertain with wisdom tales from many cultures. Zack Field will perform his amazing feats of juggling.

Available will be information, shirts, bumper stickers and products from groups and businesses. Entertaining will be jazz band A-Train, the UM Classical Guitar Ensemble and international dance.

The HOPE Festival-Green Expo is co-sponsored by the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine, Maine Peace Action Committee, Peace Studies, Women in the Curriculum, Womens’ Studies Program, COOL Bangor, Green Campus Initiative and Maine Partners for Cool Communities.

The festival is free because performers and many others volunteer their time. For information or to volunteer, call 942-9343 or visit www.peacectr.org.

Tour of ornamental garden

It’s time for gardeners to roll up their sleeves and get to work – but not before making a pilgrimage to an extraordinary secret sanctum for inspiration and information.

The Friends of Dr. Edith Marion Patch will host a tour of the Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamental Trials Garden 2-4 p.m. Sunday, April 13, on the University of Maine campus. The outing will be led by Brad Libby, horticultural superintendent.

The ornamental garden was established for the purpose of testing ornamental qualities, pest resistance and winter hardiness of woody plants for Maine landscapes.

Specimens of lilac, forsythia, magnolia, holly, kalmia and crab apple are among the more than 3,000 taxa included in the garden and available for study by researchers, students and the public.

In recent years, the habitat has become a favorite haunt of birders and amphibian aficionados who enjoy observing waves of warblers and the annual spring chorus of frogs.

Yet the garden remains a quiet haven, largely unknown and unvisited by residents. Those eager to discover its secrets and learn about its plants are invited to join the April 13 tour at the garden’s south gate, adjacent to the University Credit Union on Rangeley Road.

The program is free and open to the public. Participants are urged to wear waterproof footgear and dress warmly, since the garden can be breezy. Refreshments will be served al fresco in the garden’s pavilion.

The program is one of a series of free monthly public forums sponsored by the Dr. Edith Marion Patch Center for Entomology, the Environment, and Education. For information, call Mary Bird at 866-2578.

AAU used book sale

The American Association of University Women, Penobscot Valley, will hold its annual used book sale 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at the Church of Universal Fellowship, 82 Main St.

Those who wish may shop early, 8-9 a.m. for a fee of $10.

Peggy Hallee’s light lunch and snack bar with take-out will be available.

The event benefits programs and scholarships for local women and girls. To donate books or to obtain information, call 866-4193.

Women of the World

Women of the World will meet at noon Monday, April 14, at the Church of Universal Fellowship, Main Street. Traditional dishes from Hungary will be served. Volunteers are needed to help set up at 11:15 a.m. and to clean up afterward.

WOW is a group of international women, including Americans, who gather once a month around an ethnic lunch, with a cultural program afterward. WOW is a great place to meet women from around the world and an opportunity to learn about new cultures and discover new cuisine.

Lunch fee for women and children over 10 is $4, $2 children 6-10, free to children under 6 who attend with their mothers. RSVP is not required.

For information on WOW, call Mireille Le Gal at 581-3423.

Winterport

Spring Fair

Winterport Head Start Spring Fair will be held 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at the Leroy Smith School, 319 South Main St. The event will offer a bake sale, refreshments, raffles, crafts, contests, games, a bounce house and Hoopoe the clown. The cost of admission is $3, $2 children, $10 family.