HI MS. SUN SPOTS: Thank you so much for your column. Everyone reads it! Your readers have been so generous to our group in the past.

I’m writing on behalf of the River Valley Animal Advocates. We will be having our fifth annual plant and bake sale with raffle on May 30 and 31 (rain dates June 6 and 7) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Riverside Realty’s lot on Route 2 in Mexico.

We are looking for donations of baked goods, items for the raffle or plants for our sale. We can dig plants in the area.

We are an all-volunteer group of animal lovers, founded in October 2009 and a nonprofit 501(c)(3), working in the River Valley (Andover to Turner) area.

One of our major goals is to eliminate the suffering and overpopulation of animals through sterilization. To date we have been able to help more than 600 cats from 20 area towns to be sterilized/have rabies shots.

Just the 312 females cats fixed so far could produce more than 5,000 potentially homeless kittens every year of their lives. Funds from our sale will be used for veterinary care and transportation fees for our spay/neuter 2014 program.

For more information, call or email me. Thank you. — Becky McDonald, president, 597-2323, [email protected].

ANSWER: Sun Spots greatly admires the good work of Becky and others like her in the ongoing effort to reduce pet overpopulation and ease animal suffering.

Many people with pets do not realize that there is help if they cannot afford the usual fees to have their pet “fixed.” This is especially true for cats or pit bulls/pit bull mixes, which are filling up local shelters. For more information, visit www.spaymaine.org or call 800-367-1317.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I knew if we waited, you would be able to provide the information on how to redeem the gift card we received for TGI Fridays, and you did (May 14)!

Just an update: I made the call to the Guest Relations Department (1-800-374-3297 ) as suggested and spoke to Austin. After I provided a name and mailing address, he advised that they would be sending out a cash refund for the value of our gift card, and we could expect it in four to eight weeks (most likely closer to four weeks).

Note: He did need the number from the gift card, and if your card is still attached to the cardboard folder, you will have to pull it off. The number they are looking for is above the UPC strip and not visible while the card is still attached to the folder.

I will update once we receive the refund. Thanks again for your help. Love, love, love Sun Spots! — Connie Field via email

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I have three old crank hospital beds to give away to anyone who will just pick them up, free for the taking. Call 212-8772 days only.

I really enjoy reading the stories and all the great information we get from you. — No Name, Lisbon Falls

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Calvary United Methodist Church at 59 Sabattus St., Lewiston, has six free-standing room dividers, suitable for classroom space, to be donated to any person or group who is able to pick them up. Call or email to arrange for a pick-up time.

Thank you for the many ways you help and inform our community. — [email protected], 207-782-3221

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 [email protected].