Dear Sun Spots: Literacy Volunteers is looking for Scrabble teams for the eighth annual Letter for Literacy Scrabble Fest being held from 1 to 4 p.m. April 23 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 14 Great Falls Plaza, Auburn.

Getting involved is easy:

• Form a four-person team for the social, pro, child (ages 10 to 12) or teen (ages 13 to 17) categories.

• Collect a minimum of $40 per team in pledges.

• Register by April 17.

• Spend a spring afternoon meeting with friends, sharing your favorite board game and challenging your mind.

Top fundraising awards will include original watercolor paintings, restaurant certificates and other wonderful prizes. All proceeds help provide literacy services in Androscoggin County. Please call 753-1772 to register. – Tahlia Hope, Auburn.

Dear Sun Spots: I am looking for old photos in any condition for an art project. They must be black-and-white, and I would prefer later than 1930 or 1940. The older, the better. I will pay postage or pick up within a reasonable distance. They can be torn. Please call 645-3066 and ask for Ruth thanks for your help in advance. – No Name, No Town.

Dear Sun Spots: Our fourth-grade class from Gifford Grade School is studying the United States. We are hoping your readers will be able to assist us.

Please send a postcard or letters telling us about your state. Thanks for your help. Please send your information to: Fourth-Grade USA Project, Gifford Grade School 188, P.O. Box 70, Gifford, IL 61847. – Hannah, Illinois.

Dear Sun Spots: When I married 25 years ago, I was given a gift of a Betty Crocker cookbook. In it was a recipe for chili, and it fast became my family’s favorite. Over the years, the pages have started to fall out and the recipe has become lost. I have tried the newer version of Betty Crocker and other cookbooks, but none as good as the original. This particular recipe contains celery. I am hoping someone out there in Sun Spots land has this recipe. My family and I would be most grateful for it. Thank you for this great service! – Kathy Peters, Sumner.

Answer: While you are awaiting readers to respond to your request, Sun Spots thought you and your family might enjoy the following recipe from www.bettycrocker.com:

Slow Cooker Chili Ingredients: 1 pound beef boneless round steak, cut into ½-inch pieces; 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup); 2 medium celery stalks, cut into ½-inch pieces; 2 cans (14½-ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained; 1 can (15-ounces) tomato sauce; 3 teaspoons chili powder; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon dried oregano leaves; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (1 cup); 1 can (15- or 16-ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained; and shredded cheddar cheese, if desired. Method: Mix all ingredients except bell pepper, beans and cheese in 3½- to 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours, or until beef and vegetables are tender. Stir in bell pepper and beans. Uncover and cook on high-heat setting about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve with cheese. Note: This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature.

Dear Sun Spots: We missed our town’s rabies clinic and need to know if there are any others coming up. We are also looking for a small dog house that readers may no longer need. Thank you. – Mary Crane, Turner.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, Pet Quarters, 600 Center St., Auburn, 786-7255 holds a monthly rabies clinic for cats and dogs from 1 to 2 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month. The cost is $11 per pet.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be posted at www.sunjournal.com in the Advice section under Opinion on the left-hand corner of your computer screen. In addition, you can e-mail your inquiries to sunspots@sunjournal.com.


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