DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Students Transitioning/Experiencing Progress program at Lewiston High School is once again gearing up to do our Holidays for 100 project. We are gathering new items to gift to youth experiencing homelessness within the city of Lewiston during the coming holiday season. Our focus is to provide each youth with heartfelt gifts from community members, with gifts filling both needs and wants.

Basic needs include toiletries, hygiene products, high school-aged clothing, socks, shoes and boots, hats, mittens, laundry detergent and Laundromat vouchers, nonperishable food and snacks, USB computer thumb drives, small household items for apartments, etc.

Since many of our youth never get to experience much fun and pleasure, we are hoping to bring smiles to many faces with gifts of pleasure — movie passes, music store gift certificates, fast food gift certificates, grocery gift certificates, Rollodrome and Lost Valley equipment rental and use passes, meals at restaurants, warm fuzzy blankets and any age-appropriate creative ideas. Wrapping paper, tape, bows, tags and ribbon are also needed.

Money donations to the LHS STEP program are also welcomed. Feel free to call Jamie (ext. 2215) or Mary (ext. 2214) at Lewiston High School, 795 4190. Thanks and our best to all. — Mary Seaman, mseaman@lewistonpublicschools.org

DEAR SUN SPOTS: A number of years ago there was a sandwich shop in Rumford called Ted’s. Their sandwiches were the best we have ever had. It closed so suddenly we often wondered what happened.

We wonder if someone from the Rumford area knows if there is someone from Ted’s making the same fabulous sandwiches at another local shop? — Cathy Corbett, jrccfc12@myfairpoint.net

ANSWER: Sun Spots called the Rumford Town Office, where Ted’s was also fondly remembered. There appears to be a number of reasons for its closure, including possibly a fire or change of ownership. Sun Spots feels sure that readers will write in to offer more details.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: This is in response to a query in your column on Nov. 29 about the Knotty Pine Grill/Tavern on the banks of the canal at 3 Canal St., Lewiston.

According to our sources at the Androscoggin Historical Society, it was the United Social Club in the 1960s. From the 1920s to the 1950s, it was Houle’s Lunch. In the late 1910s and early 1920s, it was a restaurant owned by Walter E. Luce. — Douglas Hodgkin, dhodgkin@bates.edu

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In reference to the tavern that stood on the banks of the canal at the corner of Main and Canal streets, the Knotty Pine was originally known as Houle’s Bar and Grill. The proprietors were brothers Virgil and Val Houle. — Raymond Palman, Lewiston

DEAR SUN SPOTS: An inquiry from a “Happy Reader” in your Nov. 29 column and another on Dec. 2 concerning a tavern on the corner of Main and Canal streets prompted me to give these people the correct name of that tavern.

A few days ago, I ran into Mr. Houle’s daughter and told her about the inquiries, which she hadn’t seen but was glad to hear about. She told me that the name of the tavern was Houle’s Lunch and that her father owned it for 28 years, from 1928 to 1956, when the new owners turned it into a club.

Mr. Houle was serving 25 cent lunches at the start, and he was also the first business to obtain a beer license. During his daughter’s and my high school years (graduated in 1948), some of our classmates used to call it “Houle’s by the Sea.” The address was actually 3 Canal St. — Bert Godin, Lewiston

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). Please include your phone number. 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 e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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