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JESSICA FINCH Associate Editor

• HOME OPENER - Last week, I was determined to attend the Buffalo Bills home opener. Then - like a sign from the football gods - my cell phone rang, and on the other end was my friend Hillary asking if I wanted to attend with her. I was psyched. We had a great tailgate party, complete with three tents that kept us dry, and great seats. Despite the expected loss - come on, we all saw it coming - the rain and the backed-up traffic, I still had a great time. I guess Buffalo natives know how to deal with losses, bad weather and how to be patient among the other disappointed fans.

• HELP OUT - A Chiavetta's chicken dinner to raise funds for Katrina Relief in Biloxi, Miss., will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 8760 Transit Road, just north of Roll Road, East Amherst. The adult dinner is $8, and a child's dinner is $4.50. Takeout or sit-down is available. The fundraiser is a joint effort between St. John Lutheran Church on Main Street in Williamsville and Trinity. The profits will be hand delivered by members of Zion Lutheran Church of Clarence Center, when they travel to Biloxi to assist in the recovery. As seen on the news lately, that area of the Gulf still has a lot of work to be done.

• FLAG BURNING CEREMONY - The Boy Scouts from Troop 444 will hold a flag retirement ceremony in conjunction with the Eggertsville Hose open house at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30 at Eggertsville Hose Company, 1880 Eggert Road.

Worn and torn American flags are being collected for retirement in a dignified fashion. Flags may be dropped off at State Sen. Mary Lou Rath's office at 5500 Main St., Suite 260, Williamsville, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They will also be collected at the Eggertsville Hose Company, where the boxes will be in the vestibule on the left side of the building. Flag collection will end on Sept. 28.

For information, call Stephen Ostrye, scoutmaster of Troop 444, at 837-3643.

• I LOVE NEW YORK - Are you looking for fall travel ideas? Free copies of the 2007 "I Love New York" Fall Travel Guide are now available from the office of Assemblyman Jim Hayes, R-Amherst. The travel guide contains information about many popular activities and attractions across New York. Phone numbers for hotels, restaurants and attractions also are included. To request a copy of the free guide, contact Hayes' district office at 634-1895 or e-mail at hayesj@assembly. state. ny. us.

by DAVID F. SHERMAN Managing Editor

• SALUTE TO VETERANS - With Americans now serving in combat overseas, this is an appropriate time to remember them as well as all those who have served their nation in the past. Bee Group Newspapers will publish its annual "Veterans Salute" section on Nov. 7-8 as a supplement to all nine community newspapers. Readers are encouraged to send in concise stories of their family members' military careers, as well as photos. The Bee does not guarantee that all submissions will be published.

Send material to Special Sections Editor Bob Kupczyk, P.O. Box 150, Buffalo, NY 14231-0150 or e-mail to bkupczyk@beenews.com.