DEAR SUN SPOTS: I’m hoping your wonderful readers can help. My dad recently lost a gold Shrine ring. On the day he noticed it missing he had a doctor’s appointment at 287 Main St. and visited the Dollar Tree at 1035 Lisbon St. I have contacted both the store and the doctor’s but if it fell off outside, someone else may have found it. Please contact me at ljh95432@hotmail.com or call 632-2538. Thank you.
— Laurie, no town
DEAR SUN SPOTS: The students of Monmouth Middle School will be at the parking lot of historic Cumston Hall in Monmouth on Saturday, Dec. 2, from 9 to 11 a.m. to collect donations of nonperishable items that will be donated to the Cottrell-Taylor Christmas Basket Fund. Items needed include canned fruit and vegetables, dried pasta, stuffing mix, quick bread and cookie mixes, canned soup, macaroni and cheese, brownie mixes, gravy mixes, etc. For more information about “Stuff the Bus,” please contact Monmouth Middle School at 933-9002.
— Melissa, Monmouth
ANSWER: The Cottrell-Taylor Christmas Basket Fund began more than 40 years ago in memory of former Monmouth Principal Henry L. Cottrell and teacher Robert Taylor. Last year, the Monmouth Middle School collected over 3,000 items as well as cash donations for this fund and helped over 50 families!
DEAR SUN SPOTS: My mom and I are gathering prom gowns to donate to the local high schools for girls who may not be able to afford them. We have 14 so far and need to get them dry-cleaned before we distribute them. We would like to know if there is a local dry cleaner that would do the dry cleaning for free, or for a reduced rate. Please contact me at 577-4271.
Also, I would like the owner of 79 Bradman St. in Auburn to contact me. Thank you and keep up the good work!
— No name, Auburn
ANSWER: What a wonderful thing to do! Surely, a local dry cleaner will offer to assist you with at least a discount and I’m pleased to help get the word out. I would also like to suggest that perhaps you and a couple of your friends could make flyers explaining your project, send them to the dry cleaners in the L-A area. Follow up with a visit to give a brief presentation of how you want to assure all young women have a dress for the prom. Another idea is to email local high schools and/or make posters and hang them in the halls, promoting sponsorship to get the dresses cleaned.
I spoke with a local dry cleaner and was told that the cost of getting a floor-length prom dress cleaned is between $20 and 40. A knee-length dress costs about $10 to clean. She gave me a cost-saving tip. If any of these gowns are labeled “spot clean only” or are made of polyester fabric, they can often be washed by hand, or turned inside-out, placed in a pillow case, and put in the washing machine on the gentle cycle. She also noted that when dry-cleaning those glitzy, sparkly gowns, the beading and sequins sometimes can fall off or melt. Good luck and let us know how it all turns out!
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