DEAR SUN SPOTS: In regard to your Nov. 17 column on service clubs and their membership numbers, I was wondering where was the Kiwanis Club? You have several clubs in your area that are very active. I have personal knowledge since I have visited the area for the last 15 years. I have been a member of Kiwanis for the past 40 years and enjoy visiting clubs when I travel. Thank you. — Donald E. Rice, Bryan, Ohio, ricejd@roadrunner.com

 ANSWER: Sun Spots knew she was bound to leave out a group or two, hence the caveat she offered in the original column. She should have thought of the Kiwanis (not that she had enough room in that column for more groups!), but she never would have thought of the Civil Air Patrol, whose good works are outlined in the letter that follows.

As for the Kiwanis, according to Kiwanis.org, there are clubs in 80 nations, performing nearly 150,000 service projects and raising about $107 million each year. They were founded in 1915 in Detroit; women were officially allowed to join in 1987.

If you belong to a service group that Sun Spots omitted, please write and let her know.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In your column on service clubs, you omitted the Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with more than 61,000 members nationwide.

CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 56 lives in fiscal year 2011.

Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of the federal, state and local agencies. Members play a leading role in education and serve as mentors to nearly 27,000 young people nationwide, currently participating in CAP programs.

CAP has been performing missions for 70 years. It is a major partner of Wreaths Across America, an initiative to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifice of U.S military veterans.

To learn more about CAP visit; www.gocivilairpatrol.com or www.capvolunteernow.com Locally, www.mewg.cap.gov is the homepage for the Maine Wing. — Capt. Mary J. Story, public affairs officer, recruiting and Retention Officer, Auburn, mstoryking@gmail.com

DEAR SUN SPOTS: What is the best gift that you can give this year? The gift is yourself, give of your talents, your skills and your time.

On Tuesday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Androscoggin Volunteer Administrators Association is sponsoring a volunteer fair to connect potential volunteers with agencies, including the Humane Society, Lewiston Public Library, Volunteermaine.org, CMMC, The Red Cross, SeniorsPlus, the Root Cellar and SEARCH.

Please drop by the Education Center at SeniorsPlus, 8 Falcon Road, Lewiston, to browse tables of opportunities for volunteers of all ages in Androscoggin County. The gift of you is priceless, the very best gift anyone can give. Please call me for more information. — Heather Chandel, 513-3710, hchandel@seniorsplus.org

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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