Walk to school

AUGUSTA – Schools around Maine will celebrate International Walk and Bike to School Week Oct. 3 through 7. More than 1,000 students will walk or bike to school at least one day that week, along with parents, teachers and community leaders.

The idea is to walk to school together with a purpose – to promote health, safety, physical activity and concern for the environment. Walkers and bikers from Maine will join children and adults in 36 countries around the world for a week of festivities.

For additional information, call 623-4511 or visit Maine Safe Routes to School, www.MaineSafeRoutes.org; International Walk to School in the USA, www.walktoschool.org; or International Walk to School Week, www.iwalktoschool.org.

Safe Routes to School is a statewide effort among Maine communities to increase bicycling and walking to school by improving student transportation choices, safety and health. Safe Routes to School is a program of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and the Maine Department of Transportation.

Downtown focus

BATH – The Maine Downtown Center will host the fifth annual Maine Downtown Conference on Wednesday, Oct. 12, in downtown Bath. The annual event brings downtown revitalization experts from around the state together to share new ideas and strategies for revitalizing Maine’s historic downtown districts.

A morning keynote address at the Chocolate Church will be given by author Colin Woodard, whose recent book, “The Lobster Coast” chronicles the impact natural resources have played on the development of Maine’s communities, including its downtowns.

The 2005 Downtown Achievement Awards will be presented to seven awardees from around the state. Participants can choose from educational sessions and tours and network at the end-of-day reception at the Maine Maritime Museum.

For more information, visit http://www.mdf.org/downtown/confpage.html, call 622-6345 or e-mail downtown@mdf.org.

Raising funds

LEWISTON – Governor’s Restaurants throughout the state are raising funds for the American Red Cross and victims of Hurricane Katrina on Wednesday, Oct. 5, by taking part in a nationwide restaurant fund-raiser called Dine for America.

Restaurant president and owner Randy Wadleigh is asking customers to help by stopping by any Governor’s Restaurant and ordering their favorite menu item anytime after 4 p.m. The seven restaurants will donate $1 for every customer who orders that afternoon and will match all donations contributed by employees, said Wadleigh.

Dine for America was created after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on New York’s World Trade Centers by more than 8,000 restaurants owners and employees. Call Tajin Magoon of Governor’s Restaurants at 827-7630 for more information or visit www.dineforamerica.org.

Festivale set

PORTLAND – Manager Peter Crichton has announced “Hurricane Relief Festivale: From the Maine Coast to the Gulf Coast,” to be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Cumberland County Civic Center to benefit residents of Washington Parish, La. The event will feature public skating, silent and live auction, and an eclectic mix of live local bands, face painting, food and hurricane relief T- shirts.

The Portland Pirates will host their opener hours after the event. Admission is $10 for 12 and older, $5 for kids 11 to 4 and under 3, free. For more information, call Bill Whitten at 871-8380.

Choir festival

CUMBERLAND – The fourth annual Choir Festival will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Tuttle Road United Methodist Church.

Choirs from churches in Gray, Gorham, Cumberland, Portland and South Portland will sing two numbers each, then join in a massed choir to sing two anthems. Festival choir director is Sandi Simpson from Clark Memorial UMC and festival accompanist is Bethany Smart from Good Shepherd UMC in Gray.

Admission is free and there will be a love offering with proceeds directed toward hurricane relief in the Gulf Coast. For more information, call 829-3766 or e-mail mqueior@verizon.net.

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