Spring is here and that means it's time to clean out that winter dust and clutter. While you're cleaning out closets, the basement or attic, consider giving away the pink towels you inherited from Aunt Edna or the 10,000 pencils you had to buy because they were such a great deal. There are non-profit groups that could actually use those items. Your local animal shelter could use your mismatched towels and bed sheets. Your neighborhood school may want to take that pile of pencils off your hands. Consider donating your old Nora Roberts and Robert B. Parker novels to your nearby library. There are non-profit organizations all around northern New England that have a use for your no longer needed toys, art suplies, electronics, clothing and furniture. Of course, they need items that are in good working order. Sorry, I haven't found anyone that wants your old black & white TV with the vertical & horizontal hold buttons. Below is a list of groups that have wish lists for the stuff they need and you no longer want. Happy spring cleaning!
Maine
http://www.yimaine.org/giving/wish-lists
http://www.campsunshine.org/support_us/wish_list/index.php http://www.cgcmaine.org/wishlist.html
http://www.mptcteens.org/wish.html
http://www.arlgp.org/support/wish/
http://www.preblestreet.org/in_kind_donations.php
New Hampshire
http://www.rescueleague.org/wishlist.cfm
http://www.nhspca.org/wishlist.htm http://www.newhorizonsfornh.org/donate/wishlist.php

Genealogy is another one of my favorite hobbies. I've been researching my family history for many years. Like many Americans, I have roots from various parts of the world escaping oppression and the hangman's noose. Sinners and saints, I have them all. And with the new NBC show Who Do You Think You Are, there has been a renewed interest in genealogy. In Who Do You Think You Are, Sarah Jessica Parker traced her family back through the California Gold Rush and the Salem Witch trials ( turns out my husband is a distant relative). Emmitt Smith's family survived the slave trade. The stories are compelling and inspiring.

If you would like to research your family tree, start with the oldest surviving members of your family. Let their knowledge get you on your way. If you've been watching the show, you'll notice Sarah & Emmitt started with their parents. You don't always get much information when you say, "Tell me about grandpa." When we asked my grandfather about living through the flu epidemic, the stories just flowed. When I asked my mother about the family legend of her grandfather getting mixed up with a burlesque dancer, I was able to get just enough clues to start digging. After telling her that I had found a newspaper story about him escaping the law in 1904 to Panama, it was an "Oh yeah, I remember now" moment. Many details are there, sometimes it's a matter of prying them out.

Once you have some names, dates & places to work with, see what other information you can find on-line. I like starting with the free datbases at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ and http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp

Above are family photos that were discovered while helping my parents to move. The man is my 3rd great grandfather Lewis Lombard of Truro, Mass. The older woman is my 3rd great grandmother, Ruth Young Mayo Baker also of Truro. The girl, Katharine Baker Lombard is my great grandmother. She later married Herman Emile Haass who embezzled from her father's bank in Chicago for burlesque dancer, Millie De Leon and escaped to Mexico & Panama.

Thoughts of Gardening

Gardening is one of my favorite things to do. So, it was with great pleasure that I had the chance to speak with Maurren Heffernan. Not only is Maureen the author of the new book Native Plants for Your Maine Garden, she is executive director of the non-profit Coastal Maine Botanical Garden in Boothbay, Maine. No moss grows under this woman's feet. She has a second book being published in 2010 called Fairy Houses of Maine. I can't wait to see that book. I've always wanted to build a fairy house in my garden. Maybe, with this book, I'll be inspired enough to get one built. If you've been to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, you'll know what I'm talking about. Above are some photos that my husband and I took when we visited Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in the spring of 2009. To hear her interview got to http://www.949whom.com/sectional.asp?id=36319

Now On Facebook

I've been on Facebook for some time now. I've had alot of fun connecting with old high school and college classmates, cousins & friends. I've now set up a Facebook page for 94.9 WHOM. I'm slowly adding photos from over the years. And if you would like to make a request or dedication for the Light Rock Cafe All Request Hour, please feel free to leave it on my Facebook page. Comments & questions are welcome too. Join me at
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/949-WHOM-Light-Rock-Cafe-with-Sandra-Harris/237289544159?ref=ts

Helping Haiti

Various organizations are sending aid to Haiti after the montrous earthquake that decimated huge portions of the capital city, Port-au-Prince. When making a donation be sure to designate that you want your money to go to Haiti relief efforts. Below are link to the groups that are sending aid to Haiti. These groups also have pages on Facebook with frequent updates. To immediately donate to the American Red Cross you can text "HAITI" to "90999." The $10 donation will be charged to your cell phone bill.

http://www.redcross.org/
http://www.care.org/
http://doctorswithoutborders.org/
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Haitian-Earthquake-Relief/288681741232
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/13/help-haiti

College Goal Sunday

This Sunday(January 10, 2010) on "Perspectives" my guest is Trisha R. H. Malloy, Outreach Representatvie at FAME (Financial Authority of Maine). http://www.famemaine.com/
We'll be discussing College Goal Sunday and other free resources available to Maine students heading to college. Learn how to get scholarship and financial aid for your student this Sunday morning at 6:00 on 94.9 WHOM.