AUGUSTA – LifeFlight of Maine, the state’s air medical helicopter service, will celebrate its first five years of operation at a public open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, at the Augusta Civic Center. The celebration will feature LifeFlight helicopters and flight crews, injury prevention materials, informational displays and a raffle to win a ride in a LifeFlight helicopter. LifeFlight of Maine is operated by Eastern Maine Health Care and Central Maine Health Care.

High-tech schools

AUGUSTA – The 16th annual MAINEducation Technology Conference will be 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at the Augusta Civic Center. The theme is “Enhancing Learning.”

The conference will feature an exhibitor area and offer more than 60 sessions designed to help educators understand how to use the Internet access provided to all Maine schools. The Instructional Technology Teacher of the Year Award will be presented.

The registration fee is $75, which includes lunch. A program, with registration form, may be obtained by calling 786-5265 or online at www.actem.org.

Diocesan women

NORWAY – The Maine Diocesan Council of Catholic Women will hold its quarterly meeting on Saturday, Oct. 18, at St. Catherine of Sienna. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the church hall. Mass will be celebrated at noon. The speaker will be Rebecca Kane on “Times of Refreshing Spiritually, Emotionally, Physically and Mentally.” A luncheon will be provided. The cost is $8. Send reservations to Judith A. Thibeau, 13 Denise Ave., Oakland, ME 04963-4849. Make checks out to the MDCCW.

Health, environment

BIDDEFORD – Environmental health experts will gather at the University of New England on Friday, Oct. 24, to participate in a conference, “Making the Connection: Human Health and Environmental Exposure.”

The session is open to the public. Continuing medical education credits will be provided by the University of New England. Registration fee is $35 a person and includes lunch. For more information, people can contact Raina Rippel at 772-6714 or psr_maine@yahoo.com.

PTA convention

SOUTH PORTLAND – Parent leaders, teachers and child advocates will meet Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24 and 25, at the Marriott at Sable Oaks where the Maine PTA will hold its 87th annual state convention.

Highlights will include three national speakers representing the national PTA, the Drew Bledsoe Foundation and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. Susan Gendron, Maine’s commissioner of education, will make opening remarks and Dr. Dora Anne Mills, Maine’s director of the Bureau of Health, will speak.

The event is open to the public. Registration is available online at www.mainepta.org.

Media’s role

ORONO – Experts in media law, academics specializing in the study of journalism and working reporters will gather at the University of Maine on Wednesday, Oct. 29, for a forum on the relationship between the media and government. “The Media Threatened? Protecting the Free Flow of Information” will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. in Minsky Recital Hall.

This William S. Cohen Papers Forum is presented by UMaine’s Raymond H. Fogler Library. The topics of the series will change each year. The forum is intended to raise awareness of the research material in the library’s Cohen collection and to provide a forum for discussion of current affairs based on Cohen’s political career. The Bangor native has served as a U.S. senator and a secretary of defense.

There is no charge, but space is limited. Participants should register before Oct. 17 by calling 581-2665 or e-mailing paigelilly@umit.maine.edu.

Farmers’ event

BAR HARBOR – The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension will host the annual Farmer to Farmer Conference at Atlantic Oakes-by-the-Sea from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.

Farmers and other agricultural experts will learn from each other about sustainable agriculture in Maine.

The registration fee is $80. For more information, people can contact Farmer to Farmer Conference, MOFGA, P.O. Box 170, Unity, ME 04988; call 568-4142; e-mail mofga@mofga.org; or visit www.mofga.org.

Pins fight cancer

PORTLAND – Breast cancer research, education and support groups statewide will get a boost this month as KeyBank honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month by selling pins to benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation.

Created by Lucinda Yates, founder of Designs by Lucinda, the ribbon-shaped pins feature female figures wearing a variety of outfits.

The pins will be available at all 64 KeyBank locations in Maine during October. The cost is $15 each.

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