DEAR SUN SPOTS: For those who don’t know this, the Franco Center at 46 Cedar St. in Lewiston is the former St. Mary’s Church and is now a performing arts and heritage center. The building is beautiful with its stained-glass windows and Gothic-styled architecture.
It was once a Catholic church built and used by the French Canadian immigrants in 1907 who came to the Lewiston-Auburn community to work in its textile mills in large numbers starting in the mid-1800s.
We give tours to many people, including school children. At times, those tours can include 50 students. We are seeking volunteer tour guides who can help us bring students from our downstairs hall to our upstairs hall and vice versa.
We typically give a slide show in the downstairs hall and have a scavenger hunt in the upstairs hall. The students love their visit here, from what they tell us. We hope history fans are interested in and available to help with these tours which typically take two hours and usually occur in the morning hours between 9 a.m. and noon.
Training is one-on-one with me. Eventually, if a volunteer really likes history, they will be able to present historical information during tours. But until the volunteer gets fluent in the history stories we tell, we have over 30 display cases full of artifacts and each display case has a poster that helps our tour guides remember the important things about the artifacts.
Call or text me at 261-5240 or email dscammon@francocenter.org and let me know you are interested or have questions. We appreciate our volunteers! — Denise, Lewiston
ANSWER: What an awesome opportunity! I’m sure there are Sun Spotters who will be interested.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: The United Methodist Church of Auburn, 439 Park Ave., will hold a public supper Saturday, April 20, at 5 p.m. The menu includes baked beans, casseroles, hot dogs, cole slaw, breads, beverages and homemade pies.
Entertainment will be provided by the Park Avenue Pickers and will begin at 4:30 p.m. For additional information, contact the church office at 782-3972. — Steve, Minot
ANSWER: Sounds like these church suppers are alive and well! I hope everyone is taking advantage of the good home-cooking and good deals!
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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