The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Reed Fine Art Gallery will present Crafted: Fine Craft of Northern Maine, curated by UMPI Assistant Professor of Fine Art Hyrum Benson. The exhibition opens Dec. 3 and runs through Jan. 5, 2013. The public is invited to join the curator and featured artists for an opening reception on Dec. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m., which is being held in conjunction with the First Friday Art Walk.

Crafted honors excellence in Fine Craft being produced here in northern Maine. Benson, who also serves as the Regional Coordinator of the Maine Craft Association, has selected to feature the works of Terry Kelly, furniture maker; Edith Greiner, weaver and fibers artist; Heather Bessey, potter; Jeremy Frey, basket maker; Russell Mount, wood carver; and Mary Sanipass, basket maker.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle will host Dr. Michael Holick – one of the world’s leading Vitamin D researchers, the author of The Vitamin D Solution, and Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics at Boston University Medical Center – as the next speaker in its 2012-2013 University Distinguished Lecturer Series.

Dr. Holick will deliver his talk Vitamin D: A D-Lightful Solution for Good Health on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center. He will speak about his Vitamin D research and the evidence that shows how Vitamin D reduces the risk of many chronic illnesses. Holick’s lecture is free and the public is invited to be a part of this special evening.

The University of Maine at Presque Isle will mark the 20th anniversary of a campus building that has served as a major hub for student activities, community events, and cultural programs in the region by hosting its Campus Center 20th Celebration, to be held on Thursday, Oct. 25 from 4-6 p.m. The campus and community are invited to attend this free event.

This open house event will include guided building tours, live music provided by local artists, giveaways, door prizes, and an appetizer showcase by ARAMARK. In addition, the UMPI Bookstore will offer a 20 percent discount on selected merchandise. Guests visiting campus are eligible for a Grand Prize of discounted catering and facilities.

The day’s Purple Pinkie Project to raise funds for polio eradication

The University of Maine at Presque Isle and the Presque Isle Rotary Club are joining forces to celebrate World Polio Day on Wednesday, Oct. 24, in a big way – presenting a day’s worth of activities meant to raise awareness of Rotary International’s efforts to eradicate polio worldwide and to raise money — $1 at a time – to go toward that global effort.

The day will include a Purple Pinkie Project event from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the UMPI Campus Center, and also at three sponsoring organizations at various times throughout the day to help bring the project citywide – the Aroostook Centre Mall, Northern Maine Community College, and The Aroostook Medical Center. Volunteers will be on hand to paint your pinkie purple for $1 to help raise money for polio eradication. Funds raised will go toward Rotary International’s End Polio Now efforts. In the evening, TAMC presents its 30th Storer Boone Memorial Presentation also honoring Dr. Arthur Pendleton of Fort Fairfield – titled End Polio Now – at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center.

Looking for something fun for your kids to do on a Saturday morning instead of watching cartoons? Fit and Fun Day returns to the University of Maine at Presque Isle for its 16th semi-annual event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27 in Gentile Hall. Registration will begin at 9:15 a.m.; admission is free. Fit and Fun Day is designed to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles for local children. With the event being held in late October, organizers are adding another element of fun by giving participants the option to wear a costume during the event.