Give a book, and the gift of reading, to a young person

Although it's something most of us rarely stop to think about, knowing how to read and enjoying the universe it opens to us are irreplaceable treasures. That's why most people who love to read are happy when they can pass the pleasures along to young people.

Clearwater High School is participating in a statewide literacy program to encourage more reading among students. Each day, 30 minutes is set aside for reading alone. Unfortunately, many students cannot afford to buy books or routinely travel to the library.

Jan, a reader of this column, hopes that if you have books appropriate for students in grades 9 through 12, you will consider donating them to this program. A dusty, unused book propped on a shelf could start a young student on a lifetime adventure. Readers may take donated books to the office at Clearwater High or call Jan at (727) 449-2268.

We'd better get this next item in quickly; it sounds as if it may be a problem of limited duration. Let's certainly hope so. Helen has injured her thumb and wonders if you might have a thumb splint you no longer need. Please e-mail Helen at ImaNOSPAM@webtv.net.

Margaret is desperately seeking a Vogue pattern for a jeans jacket. She has searched many Web sites in vain and now turns to our resourceful readers. The number of the pattern is 2117, and Margaret needs it in size 14-16-18. If you call (727) 581-4177, you will be helping out an "eternally grateful" seamstress.

Dorothy Williams of St. Petersburg needs a tape of Tinpan Alley, a movie from the '40s that starred John Payne and Alice Faye. The film contains a patriotic song, America, I Love You, for which Dorothy needs the music. If you have the tape, she'd love to borrow it to make a copy. Please call her at (727) 822-3919, leave a message on her machine, and she'll call back.

Sammie Lyle needs help finding a 1964 yearbook for the Snyder, Texas, high school. If there's one in your library, please contact sammie@edwalton.com.

The following requests reveal the serendipity that sometimes shapes our mail. Let's start with a request from Terry Nemeth, who, like most of us, enjoys the music of his youth all the more as he grows older; that music includes songs from his grandparents' homeland, Hungary.

Terry's father left him many of these records, but that legacy didn't include a record player. If you have one in good working order that you have been thinking of evicting, please call Terry Nemeth at (727) 343-8061, and he'll gladly provide a loving home.

Not too long after Terry's request, we heard from June Minard of Largo, who has a similar problem. Her collection of 45, 331/3 and 78 rpm vinyl issues isn't getting much play these days, and she also is looking for a player to adopt. (Also, can you recommend to June a person who repairs record players?) June's phone number is (727) 581-4984.

A note from H. Baker of Port Richey on the subject of record players may contain information of interest for Terry, June and others. It's a reminder that record players haven't yet been added to an endangered species list. This reader saw one advertised in the JCPenney Christmas catalog, page 20, at an attractive price: $99.99. So, if all other searches fail, some folks may want to put an inexpensive new model on their Christmas list.

Elaine Pettit has about 300 3.5-inch computer discs she would like to recycle to a school or individuals who could use them. They contain information and would need to be formatted, but that would be easy to do. Elaine will meet you to make the transfer. She may be reached by e-mail, berry@tampabay.rr.com, or by phone, (727) 572-7465.

Betsy hopes you can help her complete a series of Hallmark Christmas ornaments she has been collecting. It's the 12 Days of Christmas series, and Betsy is missing only one -- but it is the first one issued. If the ornaments in your set have all met an untimely end except for the first one, this would surely spell serendipity with a capital "S." If you can help Betsy, please call her at (727) 530-1145.

P. Wissinger would love to find a copy of The All American Song Book, a community song book copyrighted in 1942 by Robbins Music Corp. The book contains most of the songs she learned as a child, many of which were also favorites of her parents. If you have a copy you could bear to part with, please call (352) 686-8047; this reader will be happy to pick it up.

Sage Chaney of Clearwater wants to locate a video of the 1958 movie Wind Across the Everglades, with Burl Ives and Christopher Plummer. Finding it would complete her son-in-law's collection of Hollywood classics. Please call (727) 536-8897.

If you can use Peggy Gray's 1946 edition of the Encyclopedia Americana, please call her at (727) 898-6431.

- Send requests to Reader Exchange, Newsfeatures, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg 33731 or e-mail cole@sptimes.com. Only questions of general interest will be answered. Requests will be accepted only by mail or e-mail; no phoned requests, please. This is an exchange column, so we will not run items that are for sale. Except in unusual circumstances, readers must agree to publication of phone numbers (please include the area code) to be considered for the column.

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