DEAR SUN SPOTS: Can anyone help me find the young woman who worked in the Grand Central Station Travelers’ Aid Society office in the summer of 1958? I was returning home to Auburn from two weeks at Boy Scout camp in New Jersey. When I boarded the train and explained I had lost my return ticket, I was told to go to Travelers Aid and they could remedy my problem.

That worker noted my home address and told me she was from Lewiston. She asked what my family did and I told her we owned and operated Whiteholm Farm Dairy. She laughed and told me that her family owned and operated Savard’s Pine Grove Dairy in Lewiston. She further mentioned that a relative had written a book called “Papa Martel” and was trying to get it published.

I recently acquired a copy of the book, truly a piece of literary genius. I have shared it with friends, one of whom, Franco-American himself, pronounced it the “best book I have ever read.”

I’m wondering if Sun Spots can help me find the young woman who helped me all those years ago. Please contact me at 577-2901. — Andrew, no town

ANSWER: It would be so cool if you found this woman through Sun Spots! For those who don’t know, here is a link about the Travelers Aid Society founded in 1905. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelers_Aid_Society_of_New_York.

This is just a stab in the dark, but I found the obituary of Leo N. Savard who passed away last year at age 89. It notes that he worked in the “family business,” Pine Grove Dairy: https://www.sunjournal.com/2021/02/10/obituary-leo-n-savard/. He was married to Lucille Robichaud, who died on Oct. 28, 2012.

In Lucille’s obituary (https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/lewiston-me/lucille-savard-5287332), it doesn’t mention that she ever worked for Travelers Aid.  She would have been 26 in 1958 and married for seven years. However, she had a sister, Irene who married Robert St. Denis in 1950. She “worked in the clerical and administrative field.” (https://www.sunjournal.com/2020/07/22/obituary-irene-r-st-denis/) and would have been 29 in 1958.

If there are family members or friends who can help add all this up, please write in.

As an aside, the wonderful Gerard Robichaud, author of “Papa Martel,” was a dear friend. He passed away in 2008 at the age of 100. I miss him. I have my very own signed copy of the book, and yes, it’s a fabulous story.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I have a couple cameras from the 1930s and wonder if anyone knows of any collectors. I don’t want to put them on Marketplace because I would rather a collector have them. Thanks everyone for your help. I’ll keep an eye out for names in the column.  — No name, no town

ANSWER: I’m putting this out into Sun Spots Land to see if somebody knows somebody. In the meantime, check with Dan at Orphan Annie’s Antiques in Auburn to see if he knows a collector. The store is at 96 Court St. and the number is 782-0638.

If you don’t have any luck, perhaps The Public Theater in Lewiston, or one of the high schools could use the cameras for their drama department props. That would be a good “second act” for your cameras!

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