Dear Sun Spots: The Maine Rural Workers Coalition and the Downtown Neighborhood Association would like to invite everyone with an interest in ethnic diversity to participate in a Multicultural Independence Day Celebration taking place Sat. Sept. 13 at Kennedy Park in Lewiston from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. A multicultural dance will follow at a separate location from 9 p.m. to midnight.

The following ethnic groups are represented: Somalian; German; Polish; Hispanic natives from Peru, Honduras, Mexico and other Central and South American countries; and Native Americans.

We would like to have representation from the following communities and any others we have not thought of: Greek, Irish, French, English, Scottish, Finnish, Jewish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Togalese and Brazilian.

The goal or vision is to bring together the various ethnic cultures in our community and to help foster greater understanding and respect for one another’s traditions. We encourage people to dress in their native costumes and to present and/or sell their cultural artifacts, music, games and ethnic food at display tables. We hope to end the celebration with a DJ and multicultural dance from 9 to midnight at a local club.

For more information, to reserve your space or make donations, contact Dot Treadwell at the Downtown Neighborhood Association, (207) 784-2380, or Dena Wade at the Maine Rural Worker’s Coalition at (207) 753-1922. Please note we do require one individual representative volunteer for each table.

A planning meeting will be held at our offices at 145 Lisbon St., 2nd floor, on Thursday Aug. 28th at 6 p.m. for anyone interested in helping or having a table at the fair. – D.Wade, Lewiston.

Dear Sun Spots: I’d like the words to Jimmy Dean’s “I.O.U.” – Gerald Corson, Chesterville.

Answer: Sun Spots hopes you enjoy the following words. Unfortunately Sun Spots is unable to publish them in their entirety because of length.

“I.O.U.” (Dean / Markes) Jimmy Dean – 1976.

Many people look through their wallet or their pocketbooks and, way

down at the bottom, past the credit cards and baby pictures and so

on, you usually find a little ‘ol piece of dog-eared poetry. I was

cleaning out my wallet the other day and ran across a whole bunch of

I.O.U’s, some of ’em thirty-five years overdue. And you know the

funny thing, all these I.O.U’s are owed to one person and I kinda

felt like that maybe now would be a pretty good time for an

accountin’.

Mom, I sure hope you’re listenin’.

Sweet lady, I.O.U. for so many things…..

A lot of services, like nightwatchman for instance…..

Lyin’ awake nights, listenin’ for coughs and cries and creakin’

floorboards…..hah-hah, and me comin’ in too late.

Boy, you had the eye of an eagle and the roar of a lion,

But you always had a heart as big as a house.

I.O.U. for services like, uh, short order cook, chef, baker…..

For makin’ sirloin out o’ hamburger an’ turkey out o’ tuna fish,

And big ol’ strappin’ boys out of leftovers.

I.O.U. for cleanin’ services,

The daily scrubbing of face and ears….all work done by hand.

And for the frequent dustin’ of a small boy’s pants

To try to make sure that you led a spotless life.

And for washin’ and ironin’ that no laundry could ever do.

For dryin’ the tears of childhood

And ironin’ out the problems of growin’ up.

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