DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Great Falls Balloon Festival is coming back, and many of our favorite nonprofit organizations will be looking for booth volunteers. The Lewiston High School Performing Arts Boosters is one of them. If you are or have been part of the Lewiston High School band, choir or drama programs and have time to spare the weekend of Aug. 19 to 21, please contact kchoate3883@gmail.com to select your time to volunteer.

If you have a favorite nonprofit organization, contact it to ask if it will have a booth at the festival and support its efforts at this wonderful event.—Karen, no town

ANSWER: There is also an online form for volunteers and the festival requires a lot of them: www.greatfallsballoonfestival.org/volunteer.

If you have specific questions about certain components of the festival, such as balloon rides, the parade, craft and trade booths, food vendors, entertainment, sponsorship or media opportunities, there is a direct list of email contacts here: www.greatfallsballoonfestival.org/contact-us.

Here’s to perfect weather conditions for the big weekend and smooth sailing for everyone and everything connected with the festival.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: With climate change on people’s minds, especially in the summer, the Mission Dash 5K — www.globalministries.org/global-ministries-mission-dash-5K — is an opportunity for many to assist organizations globally that are working on climate justice issues.

The month of August is an opportunity for a virtual 5K. Folks at High Street Church in Auburn have created a 5K Walk About — you can run, if you prefer — through Auburn and Lewiston, beginning at about 11:30 a.m. Sunday,  Aug. 14, at the church at 106 Pleasant St.

Partner organizations are coping with the negative impacts of climate change by protecting and nurturing the natural world, preserving resources and seeking to ensure food security.

This is a fundraiser. Register at the website shown above to join our team, HSCC Maine, or register yourself and participate at any time in August. Registration is $25.

If you have questions about our local 5K, contact kchoate3883@gmail.com.—Karen, no town

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Woman’s Literary Union is restarting our monthly book club meetings. Please join us for the first meeting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug.16, at the Horatio and Ella Foss Mansion, 19 Elm St., Auburn.

The first book/movie to be discussed will be “Where the Crawdads Sing,” by Delia Owens. Come and discuss the novel and movie over light snacks and drinks. This is free for members and $5 per month or $40 per year for nonmembers.

If you have questions about our book club, please contact Michaela Morrill at michaelamorrill@gmail.com or call Kathy Lawrence at 207-795-6134 or email kathylawrence.maine@gmail.com.—Kathy, no town

ANSWER: I am sure you will have a great turnout for this discussion. Both the 2018 New York Times best-selling novel by Delia Owens and this summer’s movie adaptation have been popular. More than 15 million copies of the book have sold.

For those who do not know, the Woman’s Literary Union of Androscoggin County is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization that participates in many good works and supports the community in various ways, including providing free dresses for young women attending prom.

For information, visit www.omansliteraryunion.org.

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