DEAR SUN SPOTS: Montello Manor/Commons is in need of an organ for resident activities. We have volunteers who provide us with much musical enjoyment, and our organ has lost its last leg.

Please consider donating your perfectly good working organ to our cause, and we will give it a great new home. Thank you and God Bless! — Ellen M. Richardson, miracle137@msn.com, 783-2039

ANSWER: Sun Spots suspects you will have your pick of several free organs.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Thank you for your great column. I read it faithfully every day.

I have been going to the Great Falls Balloon Festival since it started, and it is a wonderful opportunity for the community to get together and enjoy all the festivities. However, when they were in Auburn at Great Falls Plaza, all balloons went up morning and evening, weather permitting.

Now it seems the specialty balloons only go up in the morning, and that is very disappointing. The purple people eater, dragon and many more had no problems. Why has this changed? I would think that the evening launches make more sense since there are more children attending, and I for one have grandchildren who would love to see them in the air.

My other issue is the moon glow. Again, when the festival first started, a number of balloons would come back to the field and light up their balloons on the ground, and it was a beautiful and peaceful sight. I was less than impressed with one balloon tethered, going up and down, which was apparently the new moon glow.

I hope rather than sounding negative that others who have been going to this for years may also have similar questions.

l would also like to commend the committee members, who work long and hard year round to make this festival possible. They do an outstanding job. — No Name via email

ANSWER: Sun Spots received a response to your questions from Mell Hamlyn, director for the Great Falls Balloon Festival:

“In response to the special shapes launching in the mornings and not the evenings, a few years ago the festival took an informal poll among festival attendees. One of the purposes of this poll was to find out if people wanted the shapes to fly at night or if they preferred that they stay on the field longer and glowed. The answer was a unanimous ‘stay on the field and glow.’

“This also gives a balloon presence on the field later in the evening, after the other balloons have lifted off. The special shape pilots prefer to fly in the morning for various reasons as well, so we feel this decision was a win-win-win.

“The moon glow is a tricky one — we leave it open as a pilot choice activity. However, once the pilots land after the 6 p.m. flight, pack up their balloon, bring the passengers back and head to the refueling station, it can be a little on the late side.

“Couple that with the fact that the pilots have to be up and ready to go very early the next morning for the 6 a.m. flight, the decision is usually not to come back to the field for a glow. It is something we will be looking at to see if there is anything we can do to increase activity at this event.

“The board would like to thank everyone for their support and attendance this year. The participating nonprofit organizations collectively had the second best year in the history of the festival!”

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Androscoggin Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate substandard housing for low-income families in Androscoggin and Oxford counties, is looking for donations of new and gently used building materials, household items, tools, knick-knacks, etc., for our Androscoggin Habitat for Humanity Store.

All profits from our store will be used toward our weatherization program and to build homes for low-income families in our community. All donations are tax deductible!

If you have any items you would like to donate, please contact us at 786-2598 or email Androhabitat@roadrunner.com. Thank you for your support! — Kim Veilleux

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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