DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Senior Companion Program is looking for caring individuals who want to make a difference. The program, sponsored by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, offers the opportunity for volunteers to provide companionship and support to homebound/isolated adults.
Volunteers who are income qualified earn a tax-free stipend, reimbursement for mileage and other benefits. Companions agree that the most important benefit is knowing that they make a difference in the life of another.
Companions are needed in Lewiston-Auburn, the Jay/Wilton area and the Norway-South Paris area. For more information please call me at 1-800-287-1482. Thank you for caring. — Anna Saar, anna.saar@maine.edu
DEAR SUN SPOTS: When a husband or wife passes away in their home, who should be called about the death — the police (911) or the funeral home? Also, how do obituaries get in the paper? — No Name, Chesterville
ANSWER: Sun Spots put your first question to Lt. Mark Cornelio of the Lewiston Police Department. He said: “All deaths need to be investigated by the police and then from there a determination is made as to whether the medical examiner is contacted.”
As for obituaries, they are usually managed by the funeral home, which gets all the necessary information from the family, puts it into the standard format and submits it to the Sun Journal. Payment also goes through the funeral home.
There are instances where the family places the obituary directly with the paper, rather than going through the funeral home. In those instances, the obituary must be paid for in advance, usually with a credit card, and the obituary clerk must verify the death with the funeral home.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: My reply is to Jan Barrett’s Sept. 17 letter about saving soap from her B&B. I have worked for hotels in the past and one of the reasons the soap is discarded after use is that it is highly unsanitary to keep or reuse it. There are many viruses and germs that do not die or rinse away easily and can be spread through its use or handling it to carve.
One older housekeeper that I worked with years ago put it quite accurately, “What do you wash first and what does the other guy wash last?” Please just toss it away for hygiene’s sake. — No Name via e-mail
ANSWER: Sun Spots was hoping a medical professional or other expert would weigh in on this issue. She suspects that many people would agree with you.
However, she got to thinking. Do you throw away your soap each day because you washed your feet after your face and you’re going to start with your face the next day?
She and Mr. Sun Spots share a bar of soap in the shower without concern, and many families do the same. Soap does melt away, taking the surface and the other person’s skin cells and hair with it.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: At Artios Books we have hundreds of pages of older sheet music for the person looking for them on Sept. 20. These are reasonably priced.
We also are discontinuing VHS movies with thousands in stock — Disney, religious, regular movies and documentaries all priced at 75 cents. We also have boxes of children’s books to give away to teachers or day care facilities.
We are located at 180 Turner St. in Auburn, Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., or call 786-4007. — Artios Books
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