HELPFUL HINTS
DEAR READERS: How can you do a good deed rather than throwing out holiday (and other) greeting cards we all seem to accumulate? Pass them on to be repurposed into another product and teach life skills to children at St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.
This marvelous, yearlong program helps resident children earn some spending money while being exposed to business skills. The children may have been neglected, abandoned, left homeless or abused. Working on this project can give them life skills that carry beyond their time at the ranch.
They take the fronts of greeting cards (no writing on the front or back) and turn them into new cards. These are available for sale, and the profits benefit residents.
All types of card fronts are welcome, but they especially need birthday and thank-you card fronts.
Some guidelines for the cards:
Remember, card fronts only, and no writing on either side.
Hallmark, Disney and American Greetings cards cannot be used because of copyright issues.
A size of 5-by-7 inches or smaller works best. The address: St. Jude’s Ranch for Children Recycled Card Program 100 St. Jude’s Street Boulder City, Nev. 89005 If you would like to order cards, visit stjudesranch.org for details.
A pack of 10 cards is $17, and there are cards for a multitude of occasions. Or call (877) 977-7572 to order.
DEAR HELOISE: I use hand lotion from pump bottles. When the product stops reaching the tube, I unscrew the cap and wipe the lotion off the tube — it’s messy. There are still months of product left.
I was at a gathering of friends. Thinking they might have some insight, I posed the question and was ridiculed for caring. What other items do people discard with months of product left due to packaging issues?
— D. in Florida DEAR READER: Hey, don’t let anyone kid you about not throwing away money!
Lotions and tubes are notorious for being difficult to get the last drop out. Put a flat cap on (if possible) and store the lotion upside down. Plastic bottle? Use a serrated knife, cut the container down and scoop from the inside.