March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Area golfers to tee off in BFD fund-raiser

The “Eyes for Lives” campaign sponsored by the Bangor Fire Department and community supporters is “headed into the home stretch” reports a very pleased committee member, BFD firefighter Tom Higgins. A fund-raiser this Sunday will bring the group one step closer to purchasing the thermal imaging cameras that can seek out victims and heat sources in fires they are fighting in our community and the seven communities with which the city of Bangor has a mutual aid compact.

Blackbeard’s Charity Mini-Golf Tournament from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday at its Odlin Road location across from Howard Johnson’s is just one more indication of community support for this project. Admission for the 18-hole tournament is $5.50 for adults, $5 for seniors and children under 12 years of age. A portion of the days’ proceeds benefits the campaign.

“I’m really excited Blackbeard’s came forward to do this,” Higgins said. “We haven’t had to do any of the planning, it’s all been by them. We’re headed into the home stretch and people have really turned out to support the campaign to bring this lifesaving technology to our community and the communities we work with.”

This technology is so state-of-the-art, Higgins said, “there are only two other communities — Kennebunk and Bath — that have them.”

Not only will Bangor residents benefit from this lifesaving technology, but so will the residents of Brewer, Hermon, Glenburn, Orono, Hampden, Veazie and Old Town. “We will be able to respond if they call and request the units,” Higgins said. He believes completing this campaign “and putting these cameras in action” will be a significant improvement in the safety of area residents, which is why he and the committee are eager for the campaign to be completed.

“We need to raise only about another $6,000 and we can have the fourth camera and put them all into service,” Higgins said. “We have none right now. We have been holding off because we can get them cheaper if we buy them in a group. We hope to have them in the very near future.”

Higgins expressed his gratitude to Blackbeard’s owner, Alan Ashley, who just called and offered to do this fund-raiser. “His is a new company in the area and he wants to be known as a family business that is interested in working for families and the public,” Higgins said. “Alan’s done all the work. It’s been fun and nice for me. All I have to do is show up Sunday afternoon and show the camera.”

“Gleaning the field of broccoli in Caribou and accomplishing a statewide distribution of broccoli in less than one week is something we’ve been wanting to do for a very long time,” said JoAnn Pike, executive director of Good Shepherd Food Bank in Lewiston.

The harvesting and distribution did not come together until Leo Paquin, director of Catholic Charities-Maine in Caribou, came on the scene, she said.

“His efforts, at the other end, have helped us pull this together. He has the Smith Company contributing the field of broccoli, found the trucking and has been recruiting volunteers for the harvest, but many more are needed.

“We hope to pick 1,000 cases,” Pike said. “We’ve just got to get enough hands to accomplish that. Leo needs more pickers.”

If you are free Saturday, and are willing to put some physical labor behind your mental convictions, Pike said you are asked “to meet at 8 a.m. at the abandoned church in Westfield at the corner of Route 1 and the Shorey Road.”

Volunteers are asked to bring their own bag lunches, but other snacks will be provided.

“Our goal is to get a full trailer-truck loaded,” Pike said of the effort being sponsored by Fleet Bank of Maine.

Locally, broccoli will be distributed from noon to 3 p.m. Monday at the Bangor Rescue Mission, 126 Third St., then the Associated Grocers of Maine will bring the remainder to Lewiston “where we will distribute to the southern end of the state Wednesday through Friday,” Pike said. “We hope it will all be gone by Friday noon.”

When individuals and families receive the broccoli you picked for them, they also will receive instructions on how to prepare, cook and freeze the healthful vegetable for future use.

Associates at Houlton Wal-Mart are eagerly anticipating the appearance of NASCAR driver Ricky Craven at their store from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday where he will sign autographs. NASCAR and Craven merchandise and memorabilia will be on sale.

The event is all for a good cause, reports the store’s community involvement coordinator, Patti Jenkins.

“We’re going to have concessions and lots of things going on for people waiting in line to meet Ricky. All proceeds from those sales will go to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network of Eastern Maine Healthcare,” Jenkins said.

“This is a first for this area,” she said. “Ricky’s from Maine and he’s a really big supporter of the Children’s Miracle Network. He’s also really good at signing autographs. He’s good with the kids and very patient.”

Just a brief reminder from Anette Rodriquez that Leonard’s Mills Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley will feature transportation from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Among items displayed will be an ox cart, carriage, wooden sleds, old canoes, bateaux, wheelbarrows and a restored Watson Conestoga belly dump wagon. Horse-drawn wagon rides and a trip in a bateau will be offered. The admission is $3 for adults, $2 for members and $1 for children. Remember to write “Living History Weekend” on your calendar for Oct. 4-5.

The Standpipe, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.


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