Convention set

AUBURN – Parents of blind and visually impaired children are invited to the National Federation of the Blind of Maine Convention from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Fireside Inn, Washington Street.

Speakers will be Gov. John Baldacci and Congressman Tom Allen. Cindy Haley, president of Parents of Blind Children of Maine, will share her six weeks of training under sleep shades at the Colorado Center for the Blind.

The newest technology for the blind will be on display. There will be a coffee hour from 8 to 9 a.m., and a business meeting will follow the convention from 4 to 5 p.m.

Registration is $10 and the luncheon banquet is $25. Contact Haley at 625-8768 or e-mail her at [email protected].

Maine meeting

NOBLEBORO – The Maine Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club will hold its annual meeting at Camp Kieve on the shores of Damariscotta Lake on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29 to Oct. 1.

Outdoor and indoor activities will provide an opportunity to meet club members and learn about activities of the chapter.

Activities will include hiking in Camden Hills State Park, walking nature preserves, bike rides and paddling on Damariscotta Lake and along the ocean shore. Three workshops will be offered: GPS navigation, mushroom identification and digital photography.

Saturday a dinner will be followed by the annual business meeting and a talk by John Neff, author of “Katahdin: An Historic Journey – Legends, Explorations, and Preservation of Maine’s Highest Peak.”

Preregistration is required. For more information, contact Laura Flight at [email protected] or 215-5306. Registration forms and information is also available on the chapter web at http://home.gwi.net/amcmaine/main.htm.

Annual conclave

TOPSHAM – The 11th annual Maine State Charismatic Conference will be held on Saturday, Oct. 14, at Sky Hy Conference Center. This year’s theme is “Reviving the Culture of Pentecost” and will feature an international speaker, Sr. Nancy Keller, SC.

The Rev. Richard Rice of Bath, liaison to the Rev. Richard J. Malone, Bishop of Portland, will lead an afternoon healing service and celebrate Mass.

Cost is $25 a person, $40 a couple, $7 for youth 18 and younger and includes lunch. All are invited to participate in the day of learning, prayer and fellowship, which will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For registration forms and information, contact Mary Livingstone at 965-7867 or [email protected].

Apple Day fest

FALMOUTH – Maine Audubon will hold its 19th annual Apple Day Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center.

Apple Day is free and open to the public. Festivities will include cider pressing, craft demonstrations, storytelling, face painting, live music, contradancing, nature walks and an apple baked goods contest open to all.

The Maine Audubon Nature Store will be open. For more information, call 781-2330 or visit www.maineaudubon.org.

Annual meeting

AUGUSTA – The annual meeting of the Maine Military Historical Society will be held Friday evening, Oct. 27, at the Senator Inn.

The evening will honor individuals and units of the U.S. Navy, Navy Reserve and Maine’s Naval Militia. Guest speakers will be historians and authors James L. Nelson and Tom Desjardin, who will talk on Maine’s military naval history.

The social will start at 6 p.m. and posting of the colors at 7 p.m. will be followed by a buffet. Cost is $25 a person. The meeting is open to the public. For a registration form or more information, contact Soraya Thomas at 636-4350, or Albert White at 442-8734.

Contestants sought

America’s Pageant of the Stars (for girls ages 2 and 3; 4 and 5; 6 to 8 and 9 to 12) and Miss Teenager of the States (for single girls age 13 to 19) are looking for local contestants to represent Maine in the national pageant at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Jan. 4 to 7, 2007.

The state title will be offered to the first girl to enter from the state, and other entrants will have area titles awarded to them. At the national pageant, girls will have a day at Disney World, an evening dining at Medieval Times and the opportunity to win a national title.

Every girl who enters will receive the sash and crown of her title to keep as a permanent souvenir and to use during her year as the reigning winner. Prizes at the national pageant will include special trips and U.S. savings bonds.

Interested parents should contact National Pageant headquarters by e-mail to [email protected] or call toll free, 1-877-596-9152.