DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Woman’s Literary Union at the Foss Mansion, 19 Elm St. in Auburn, is hosting a Craft Fair on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Local vendors will offer sea glass art, hand puppets, tie-dye items, party dresses, quilts, knit and stitch, wood turners, paintings, and stained glass, and more, including a bake sale and a 50/50 raffle. Please come out and support the WLU and our ongoing restoration of the Foss Mansion.

For more information, check the website at  womansliteraryunion.org or contact me at 402-7591. — Kathy, Auburn

ANSWER: It’s always a pleasure to help you get the word out, Kathy. I love the assortment of crafts being offered!

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Our food pantry at Gather to Grow at 208 Bates St. in Lewiston, is people powered! It will take many hands to make light of the work ahead. We are especially looking for volunteers for our Thanksgiving Giveaway on Tuesday, Nov. 25, between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Please let us know if you are interested.

We also need food items for this effort. Each year we provide “everything but the turkey” to our community for Thanksgiving. We are in search of traditional fixings. (To donate, please email us at [email protected] to make arrangements. 

Items needed include gravy, broth, canned pumpkin, canned cranberry sauce, and canned fruit topping or pie filling. 

We also always need diapers, too! 

While donating money often does not feel as satisfying or tangible as donating food, it is almost always the most helpful for food pantries. We can spend it thoughtfully and thriftily as we purchase what we know our community might need or want. If you are able, please consider giving through our Donation Page at https://givebutter.com/gathertogrow?gbtid=75ae99a1a1b04cb4bfbda79bcd7de915 . 

On the Gather to Grow website at https://gathertogrowmaine.org/, you will find information about how to volunteer, donate, and how to utilize the pantry.  

Our food pantry is open Tuesdays from 1-6 p.m. and on Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Community members are welcome to visit the pantry once per week per household. 

Contact us at 513-3848 or at the email address above. The organization also has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/gathertogrowmaine. 

ANSWER: Thank you so much for all your good work. Sun Spotters, I do hope you will become involved in the organization and do what you can to help others in our communities. 

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Do you have any names in your Rolodex for craftspeople that repair grandfather clocks? — Sandy, no town

ANSWER: The two clock repair businesses I have are Harry Hepburn in Harrison (583-2821), and King Street Clock Repair in Oxford (739-9038). I believe Rohman Clockworks in Auburn is no longer in business. 

There are several others farther afield. Let me know if you need more information. And readers, if you know of more clock repair people in the area, please share their contact information and your recommendation with us. 

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 [email protected].