New Gloucester – A benefit concert featuring local musicians will be held Sunday, Sept. 18, to raise money for Gulf Coast disaster relief efforts.

Two stages will be set up on Gloucester Hill at Thompson’s Apple Orchard from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Scheduled performers include the Dave Rowe Trio, Denny Breau Trio, Half Moon Jug Band, Boreal Tordu, Turkey Hollow, The Deuce, Chuck Kruger, Pam Baker, Mom’s Home Cookin’, Jim Gallant and members of the Maine Songwriters’ Association.

All proceeds will go to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

There also will be food, alternative energy information, artists and apple-picking. Advance tickets are available online at www.fiddleheadcenter.org.

Ticket prices at the gate and in advance are $8 with a Bucket Brigade donation center on site. Children under 12 get in free. People are asked to bring their own chairs and to leave all pets at home. For more information, people may call either Fiddlehead Center for the Arts at 688-2244 (www.fiddleheadcenter.org) or L/A Arts at 782-7228 (www.laarts.org).

Fund-raisers for low-income victims

A Scarborough-based group has organized fund-raisers to help bring low-income hurricane victims to Maine.

Maine Plan for Displaced Americans, headed up by Karen D’Andrea, hopes to bring three families who had Section 8 housing before Katrina devastated their homes to Maine to live.

“It’s bad enough this storm created new homelessness, but it has hit the existing poor of the area even harder than they were already living,” D’Andrea said in a prepared statement.

The group already has lined up support for the arriving families and is working with Maine State Housing and other organizations to assist in providing permanent housing. The Peace and Justice Center of Southern Maine is helping by donating their services to act as fiscal sponsors.

The first fund-raiser will take place Wednesday, Sept. 14, at the SPACE Gallery in Portland. Jimmyjo and The Jambalayas, Big Chief, and Allen Lowe have all volunteered their talents for the Cajun, jazz and Dixieland music event. Doors open at 7 p.m., and ticket prices range from $10 to $15. There will be a cash bar. All the proceeds will go toward the Maine Plan for Displaced Americans.

‘Read for relief’ begins

Several Maine librarians, with support from the Maine State Library, have joined forces to start a book drive, “Project Katrina – Read for Relief.”

Books for children, young adults and adults will be sent directly to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The Red Cross has confirmed that there is a need for reading materials in shelters. All Maine public and school libraries, as well as individuals statewide are being asked to collect and donate new or lightly used books for children and paperbacks for young adults and adults.

For young adults and adults, only paperbacks will be accepted, because of shipping weight issues. The only exception to this is the donation of large-print books which are welcome in any format.

To donate books, people may contact their local libraries.

A trucking company is also being sought to donate its services to get the books delivered to affected Southern states once they are collected. The deadline for sending books is Sept. 22.

10 days, $10,000 match

J&S Oil Xpress Stop Convenience Stores will match donations through Sept. 21 for the victims of Hurricane Katrina dollar for dollar, up to $10,000.

The goal is to raise at least $20,000 to bring relief to those devastated by the storm. Donations will be accepted inside, at the cash registers only. Anyone making a donation is asked to get a receipt to help calculate the match.

J&S Oil Xpress Stop has locations in Auburn, Topsham, Augusta, Manchester, Augusta and Farmingdale.

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