DEAR SUN SPOTS: For the eighth straight year, Auburn-based Boy Scout Troop 121 will be picking up Christmas trees in Lewiston and Auburn. While the cities provide several locations for free tree disposal, they no longer collect the trees at curbside.

For a minimum donation of $5, the scouts will pick up Christmas trees on the weekend of Jan. 11-12. Trees should not be placed at the curb until the morning of Jan. 11.

Money raised by this program stays locally and goes directly to support scouting activities. Troop 121 was created to help give youth with special physical, mental and emotional challenges opportunities for success in a safe scouting environment that builds character, encourages citizenship, teaches life skills and develops personal fitness.

To request a tree pickup, mail your donation by Jan. 8 to Troop 121, United Methodist Church, 439 Park Ave., Auburn, ME 04210. The troop will then send you a tag to place on your tree when you move it to the curb. For more information about this program or the troop, call 207-783-0790.—No name, no town

ANSWER: I hope the good people of Lewiston and Auburn will take advantage of this program to help the scouts and to make short, easy work of disposing of their Christmas trees.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I recently received further proof that people, for the most part, are inherently honest. A few weeks ago, I was shopping at Lowe’s in Auburn and used a gift card for my purchase. Because I always carry several gift cards with me in my wallet, I had to remove all of them to find the correct card that day.

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Three or four days later, when I went to check on a particular card at home, I realized they were all missing, except for the Lowe’s card that I had used the other day. Somehow, when I thought that I had returned them to my wallet, four of them apparently did not make it back in.

Thinking back to my last use of the cards, I called Lowe’s to see if, by some slim chance, the gift cards might be there. A woman at Lowe’s asked me if I knew what the specific cards were and I named off at least three I could remember. She told me the cards had been found near an entrance and brought to the service desk by some kind, honest person. It ended up I had dropped four cards worth almost $100.

I got all my cards back and want to say thank you not only to the honest Lowe’s customer but also to the folks at Lowe’s. I am not only grateful to the person who picked them up and returned them, but to the Lowe’s employees for their diligence in seeing that I got them back. It is refreshing to know that mostly honest people walk amongst us. —Roland, Auburn

ANSWER: What a great story, Roland. Readers, when you share stories such as this, Sun Spots expands its boundaries and inspires others. I am so pleased to be part of it.

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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