PARIS – The Oxford County Democrats held caucus training sessions recently in Mexico and South Paris to prepare caucus convenors for their role in holding successful meetings in their towns on Sunday, Feb. 26.

Highlights of the caucuses will be participation in the grassroots party-building efforts of Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean as part of his 50-state strategy, an opportunity to assist the candidates running for office with their nominating petitions and qualifying contributions for Maine Clean Elections, and the opportunity to meet and talk with Democrats.

The list of times and places for municipal caucuses will appear in mid-February. Caucus convenors are: Albany Township, Allison Rosenblatt; Andover, Pam Pace; Bethel, Mike Broderick; Brownfield, Marlee Turner; Buckfield, Terry Hayes; Rumford, Byron, Roxbury, John Patrick.

Also, Canton, Mary Dube; Denmark, Kathy Banks, Dixfield; Roland Laliberty; Fryeburg and Stow, Jim Wilfong; Greenwood, Upton, Lincoln, Magalloway and Gilead; Cathy Newell; Hanover, Shirley Powell; Hartford, Arlene Nason; Hebron, Dan Eichorn; Hiram, Janice Campbell; Lovell, Toni Seger; Mexico, Linda Petrie; Milton, Scott Billings; Newry, Wendy Hanscom and Bill Andrews.

Also, Norway, Hilary Ware; Otisfield, Maureen Howard; Oxford, Chris Pottle; Paris, John Jenness; Peru, Bill Hine; Porter, Doug Bowen; Stoneham, Ruth Crowell; Sumner, Kathy Pewitt; Sweden, Dana Nason; Waterford, Skipp Green and Lynn Curran-Sargent; West Paris, David Walton; Woodstock, Nancy Willard and Maryellen Gartner.

Anyone interested in becoming involved in the local caucus may contact the convenor or Oxford County Democratic Chairwoman Cathy Newell at 875-2116.

Keep ME Warm, the fund established to assist low-income Mainers with fuel this winter, will be the special beneficiary of the 2006 caucus. Party Chair Pat Colwell has asked that all caucus attendees donate $1 to Keep ME Warm at the event.

Majority Leader Glenn Cummings and Rep. Nancy Smith will hold a Small Business Forum from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at the University and College Center in South Paris. The free event is open to all interested in legislative strategies to benefit small businesses in Maine, and is being sponsored by Speaker of the House John Richardson and Senate President Beth Edmonds.