Lend a hand by volunteering

Heloise

Dear readers: Today’s sound on is about volunteering. — Heloise

”Dear Heloise:

Maybe you’ve heard the expression ‘Many hands make the workload light.’ It’s true, and never more so than for organizations that are on a tight budget, such as animal shelters, services for the elderly and children’s organizations. If any of your readers are thinking of volunteering, pick an organization and help out when you can. To those who already volunteer, thank you many times over. Your help is invaluable, and your service to your community is very much appreciated.” — Hazel W., Wabash, Ind.

Fast facts Dear readers:

Got empty tissue boxes? Reuse them:

■ To store small plastic grocery bags.

■ As tissue receptacles for used tissues when you have a cold.

■ To store cotton balls.

■ In a laundry room to hold lint from the dryer. — Heloise

From pottery to path Dear Heloise:

Got broken pottery? Broken watches or old jewelry you never wear? Make steppingstones out of them by pouring cement into a shallow cardboard box or an old pie or cake tin. When it has set a little, press glass pebbles, broken pottery, watch parts or anything you want into the surface. When the cement has set up completely, turn it out (a cardboard box works best for this), and you have a one-of-a-kind concrete steppingstone for your garden. — DeeDee B., Cheyenne, Wyo.

Blue light Dear Heloise:

I live on a street that’s dark and has no street lights. To make finding our place easier for guests, especially after dark, I put a blue bulb in our porch light and just tell them to look for the house with the blue light. — Andrea L., via email

Deer resistance Dear Heloise:

Can you name some flowering plants for me that are deer-resistant plants? The deer are destroying my yard. — Jane P., Topeka, Kan.

Here are some common flowers that deer don’t like: American holly; bleeding heart; buttercup; cactus; daffodil; flowering tobacco; gladiolus; lavender; lily of the valley; peony; sweet alyssum; and thyme. — Heloise

Wedding gifts Dear Heloise:

When wrapping a wedding gift, I always put the card inside the box so it doesn’t get lost, and I put my address label on the envelope so the couple will have it handy when they write thank-you notes. This is especially handy if someone wants to include cash or a check with the gift. — Randall J., Blountville, Tenn.

Check reminder Dear Heloise:

To avoid running out of checks, I place a sticky note on a check that’s two checks from the last one to remind me to carry a fresh stack of checks with me. This way, I don’t run out while I’m out shopping. — Vickie H., Hammond, La.