Dear Sun Spots: We are looking for mothers and their stories about night feedings, photographs, essays or stories about their mothering experiences. We are hoping to publish a book featuring these in the future. We would love your submissions. We can be reached at: Susan Eminger, 26 Vernon St., Auburn, ME 04210, 783-2690, or via e-mail at chicapeapod@verizon.net. – Susan Eminger, Auburn.

Dear Sun Spots: The Nazarene Church in Leeds is holding a garage sale to help raise money to purchase a new furnace. A replacement will cost the church $15,000, and we are hoping to hold this sale to help defray the cost. A date and time for the sale will be set at a later date. In the meantime, we would appreciate any donations such as dishes, furniture, televisions, working computers, children’s clothing and toys. Anyone cleaning out your attics, cellars and more, please think of the Nazarene Church’s garage sale.

Please call Esther Field at 946-4143 for more details. In addition, you can drop items off at 260 College Road, Greene. Thank you for your help. – O. B., Greene.

Dear Sun Spots: I hope one of your readers may be able to help me. I’m looking for somebody that does some gutter work for a home roof. I have some now, but they are plastic and keep breaking. We have a metal roof, so the snow slides off and breaks the plastic brackets. I was wondering if there are metal brackets to protect the gutter? – No Name, No Town.

Answer: You may want to check your local Yellow Pages for a listing of roofing contractors or contact your local hardware store for some company names. For instance, there are many listed in Verizon’s Lewiston-Auburn area book.

Dear Sun Spots: You’re always so helpful. Thank you!

I try not to use Styrofoam because I’ve heard that when Styrofoam is broken or crushed, it releases something into the atmosphere that breaks down the ozone layer.

I also recently heard that the process of creating Styrofoam is bad for the environment. I wonder if a Bates College science professor could tell us about the Styrofoam issue? – No Name, No Town.

Answer: Sun Spots contacted Bates College assistant professor of chemistry Rachel Narehood Austin, who admits to not being an expert in this area. She noted that the production of Styrofoam once utilized chemicals that destroyed the ozone layer (chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs). That is no longer the case. However, Styrofoam does not break down in the environment, which is the biggest problem. Austin says she would be surprised if it emits any appreciable amount of chemicals that might destroy the ozone layer. Austin recommends you bring your own coffee mug, which would be environmentally friendly. She also suggests checking out the following Web site for more information: www.grist.org/advice/ask/2003/02/06/umbra-styrofoam/.

According to this, Styrofoam’s manufacturer, Dow, replaced CFCs with HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbon), which are less ozone-depleting – 93.5 percent less. However, they do contribute greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, fueling global warming. For more information, you can also visit the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ask a Scientist Web site at www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/.

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.