If you have a podium to give, step right up

By LINDA D. COLE and INGRID L. KOHLER

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 24, 2001

Readers, come to order, please. Oh, dear. Where is our podium? How can we continue without our podium? It's something that gives a meeting the semblance of organization, of dignity, of, well, rightness. We will just have to move along without our misplaced podium, but the Army Navy Union 3697 in Largo really does need one for its meetings.

The garrison is not fussy, says Joy Kauffman, past auxiliary president, and a used model or one with a few dings is just fine for taking care of business. If you or your organization has one to donate, it would help this group in carrying out its good work in the community. Please send replies to the publicities director, Carl Bryant, at (727) 393-3064.

Perhaps Chris Dohrman of Lutz enjoys a leisurely cup of coffee during meetings. At any rate, Chris enjoys a cup of well-brewed java. If you know where a new or used, non-electrical, top-of-the-stove 4-cup (not 3, not 5) coffee percolator can be found or purchased, please give Chris a call at (813) 949-2122.

Several years ago a television infomercial for a piano course caught the eye of Rich Sterenczak. It featured a person playing Happy Birthday and Auld Lang Syne. Rich wishes now that he had acted on the ad. He wonders if one of our readers might have purchased it, moved on to Carnegie Hall appearances and no longer needs it. Seriously, please contact Rich at (727) 773-0080 or e-mail seadream@gte.net if you can give him a hand.

When Stephanie Cain cleared out her father's home after his death, she unwittingly discarded the plug-in charger for his First Alert Ready-Lite, model No. RL101 rechargeable flashlight. The manufacturers no longer make this model, but Stephanie is another reader who knows that discontinued products don't always mean the end of the line when you are searching for an item.

Should you have either the charger or the entire unit and be willing to part with it, Stephanie would be glad to hear from you at (727) 827-5123. The rectangular tan unit is about 8 inches long by 4 inches wide with a handle and a movable flash head.

Linda Brown of Clearwater tells about ceramic carolers made by her great aunt in ceramics class several decades ago. They were the Dickensian figures in bonnets, full skirts and top hats so often seen during the Christmas holidays. The copyrighted molds were stamped "holland."

Over the years the carolers have become chipped, and Linda would love to locate new ones or even a shop that carries the greenware. Do you have any of these ceramic carolers or know whether the molds are being made? Please let Linda know by either writing to her in care of this column or sending an e-mail to linmbb@aol.com.

St. Petersburg's Mae Davis writes that, before his death, her husband bought a concertina at a flea market. It has been standing unplayed for years because Mae has never had instructions for its use. Do you have or know where she may purchase a beginner's instruction book? Let's get music out of that concertina! Please give Mae a call at (727) 546-6552.

Philip Ailes of Largo wants to know where to find a wire extension for a remote-controlled electric blanket. Please send replies to him in care of this column.

Thank-you notes

Even a week after her item appeared in Reader Exchange, Marjorie Heiser is still receiving phone calls about her Reminisce magazines and quilting pieces. Of course, they were spoken for long before then, but she is delighted with the response and thanks everyone who called.

John Rayner, a volunteer at FACT, a local non-profit group, wishes to thank those who contributed teddy bears and other stuffed animals, costume jewelry and beads for the Christmas benefit. John himself made 22 dozen jeweled ornaments for sale, and 252 teddy bears, puppies and bunnies were donated to be cuddled by ill children. Many folks contributed to the benefit's success, and our readers were in the thick of it, John says. A big thanks to all.

Send requests to Reader Exchange, Home & Garden, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg 33731 or e-mail cole@sptimes.com. Requests will be accepted only by mail or e-mail; no phoned requests, please. Readers must agree to publication of phone numbers (please include the area code).

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright