Dear Sun Spots: In regards to the Sun Spots article featured June 22: The Auburn School Lunch Program will offer a free summer food service program for children. Breakfast and lunch will be served at Walton School, 92 Mary Carroll St. in Auburn.

All meals will meet the federal government guidelines and will be served from Aug. 2 to Aug 20. Breakfast will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

All meals must be eaten at the school, and participants are not allowed to remove food from the school. Free meals are provided to children ages 5 to 18. Please call Paula Rouillard, Auburn food service director, with any questions at (207) 753-0122. – Paula Rouillard, Auburn.

Dear Sun Spots: I am writing in hopes someone can answer a question:

Does anyone know about the saying: “It will rain for 40 days if it rains on St. Swithin’s Day?”

I read it somewhere several weeks ago. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: According to www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/stswithun.html, it goes like this:

St. Swithin’s Day, if it does rain

Full forty days, it will remain

St Swithin’s Day, if it be fair

For forty days, t’will rain no more.”

St. Swithin was educated at the Old Abbey, Winchester, England, and was ordained (it is uncertain whether or not he was a monk). He was chaplain to King Egbert of the West Saxons, who appointed him tutor of his son Ethelwulf, and also was one of the king’s counselors. Swithin was named bishop of Winchester in 852 when Ethelwulf succeeded his father as king. Swithin built several churches. He was known for his humility and his aid to the poor and needy. His veneration as a saint appears to date from the removal of his bones from the churchyard into the cathedral a century after his death. A long-held superstition declares it will rain for 40 days if it rains on his feast day, but the origin of this belief is unknown.

Legend says that as he lay on his deathbed, he asked to be buried out of doors, where he would be trodden on and rained on. For nine years, his wishes were followed, but then, the monks of Winchester attempted to remove his remains to a splendid shrine inside the cathedral in July 15, 971. According to legend, there was a heavy rainstorm either during the ceremony or on its anniversary.

This led to the old wives’ tale (folklore) that if it rains on St Swithin’s Day (July 15th), it will rain for the next 40 days in succession, and a fine July 15th will be followed by 40 days of fine weather.

Dear Sun Spots: I need your help. I’ve been listening to WBCI and they spoke of a Canadian company where folks can get their prescription medicine for cheaper. I was not very quick in writing down their number. Would you please help me to get the right number? I’d like to give it to a neighbor of mine. They have to pay so much for the medicine, so it may help them a little. – Heidi Weber, Dryden.

Answer: WBCI kindly provided a phone number, and Sun Spots was able to reach the company that ran the ad on the radio station. The company you are looking for is Canada Discount Rx, 1749 Ellice Ave. Unit G, Winnipeg, MB – R3H 1H9, 1(800) 841-8598. you can also reach them via their Web site at www.canadadiscountrx.com.

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