DEAR SUN SPOTS: Thank you for your detailed response to the Oct. 25 inquiry concerning the Gideons society.

I have been a Gideon here in Maine since 2000. I would like to give a little detail in regard to the Gideons International here in Maine. We are known as Gideon camps and have 19 active camps in Maine. The camps in the western and central areas of the state include Auburn-Lewiston, Farmington, Greater Waterville, Kennebec Valley and Oxford Hills.

The Gideons are made up of professional and business evangelical Christian men. Our main objective is to win others for the Lord Jesus Christ through personal testimony and personal work by individual Gideons and by placing the Bible, God’s Holy Word or portions thereof, in hotels, hospitals, motels, schools, institutions and also the through distribution for personal use.

In the Farmington Camp, of which I’m a member, we do various things during the year. We go to the different motels within our camp and check on the condition of the Bibles and check to see if all rooms have Bibles in them. If they need to be replaced, we do that. We also have a booth at the Wilton Blueberry Festival Game Day and at the Farmington Fair, where New Testaments are available for the children.

Four years ago when the Comfort Inn opened in Wilton, we had a ceremony and presented a Bible to the manager. After the ceremony we went to every room and placed a Bible in each nightstand. We also left extra Bibles for housekeeping staff to use for replacing when one is missing in a room.

We have gone back twice — two years ago and again this year — and were given a key with a list of all rooms occupied. We were able to go into all unoccupied rooms and do a check and replace if necessary.

We also have qualified Gideons speaker who go into churches and tell about the work that we Gideons do throughout the whole world. We are in 196 countries.

There is also an auxiliary for the wives and widows of the Gideons. They also have areas of distribution, such as doctors’ offices, nursing homes and personal use. — Donald Hamlin, Wilton

ANSWER: Thank you, Donald, for writing. The original inquiry asked specifically about Maine, but Sun Spots had no source for that information. Your letter filled that hole quite nicely.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to the the Oct. 2 letter from the reader who wanted to watch the Rev. Joel Osteen on television, I enjoy watching him on Direct TV Channel 278 at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning. He is also on other channels on Direct TV at 8:30 and 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings.

Thank you for your column. — Elizabeth Thornton, Rumford

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I want to thank everyone who answered my request for the first book in the Sisters of the Quilt series by Cindy Woodsmall. I especially want to thank Beverly from Hebron who so graciously gave me the book and also the book “An Amish Christmas.” Thanks again to all of you and also to Sun Spots for this wonderful column. — Helen Marsh, marsh3609@roadrunner.com

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In recent weeks, the Dominican Sisters have had inquiries as to whether or not they are still accepting items for future garage sales, bazaars, etc. The convent at 61 Lisbon Road, Sabattus will be opened from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Tuesday. For more information, please contact Ellie at 577-9364. Thank you. — Claudette Therriault, Sabattus, ctherriault@myfairpoint.net

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 emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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