DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Mechanic Falls Public Library will have its Annual Pie Sale at Mechanic Falls Municipal Offices, 108 Lewiston St., third floor, outside the library entrance on Nov. 22 from 9 a.m. until all the pies are gone. The price per homemade pie is $18.

Donations of homemade pies can be dropped off at the library after 8 a.m. This sale is our largest fundraiser. No reservations will be taken. For more information, call the library at 345-9450 or email mechanicfallslibrary@gmail.com — Nancy, no town

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I volunteer for our local food bank and we are attempting to distribute our food fairly. We allow people to shop from our shelves and one of the issues we have concerns about is the size of bags people bring in.

We would like to purchase sturdy bags that are all the same size. We need to purchase 500 to 600, 14- by 5-inch bags. People are allowed to fill either four or five bags per month depending on the size of the family. We would give them to those who come and they would bring these bags each month when they return to fill with groceries. We feel this is a way to keep it fair.

Can you or other readers tell us where we can purchase bags at a minimal cost as our budget is very limited? Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated. — Margaret, Strong

ANSWER: Have you reached out to other area food banks to see how they handle this? I love the idea of reusable bags but I think most food banks just use the large paper grocery bags.

Any feedback from readers who use a food bank or volunteer at one is appreciated.

Here’s a link to a company that supports nonprofits. https://totebagfactory.com/pages/giving-back-to-our-community . You would need to apply to qualify and they would get back to you within a week. They have an enormous selection of bags for under $3 each, with quite a few for under $1 each.

There are several online companies that sell bags/totes at wholesale prices. One is Factory Direct https://www.factorydirectpromos.com/ .

To pay for these, have you tried reaching out to a few local businesses to see if they would donate? Even offsetting  half the cost would surely be helpful.

Amazon has lots of choices, of course. Does your organization have an Amazon Wishlist? I could get the word out through Sun Spots and knowing my readers the way I do, I’m betting some of them would come forward and purchase the bags for you once you decide on what type you need. Keep us posted!

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Readfield United Methodist Church at 1564 Main St. is hosting a free Thanksgiving dinner for the community Thursday, Nov. 23, from noon until 2 p.m. This is the traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings and assorted pies for dessert.

Thank you for all you do to keep people aware of events happening in the area. — Karen, Readfield

ANSWER: Thank you for providing the community with this feast and in doing so, spreading the true message of the holiday.

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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