DEAR HELOISE: Puppy mill rescue groups ...

... pick up and rescue hundreds of dogs and puppies from puppy mills all over the country — dogs that are deemed no longer usable for breeding or are old or sick. They also rescue puppies that are still unsold after a few months and would otherwise be killed. Many of these mills regularly call on dog rescues to come and get these animals before they're put down. The rescuers give these dogs and pups any treatments they need to come back to health, help them overcome their fears until they are truly adoptable and give them a new life. Many dog rescues have helped thousands of dogs and pups who would otherwise have died at the hands of puppy mills. I know you are a friend to all critters. Please let your readers know about dog rescues. - Emily M., via email (Keebler and Coco Rose too!) Emily, so many dogs just need a second chance! Readers, always consider rescue groups when looking for a furry and funny friend. And if you're not able to adopt, consider a donation of dollars or supplies. - Heloise DEAR READERS: Are the kids bored and looking for a project? Here's a fun, colorful and easy way to recycle old wax crayons. You'll need a dedicated muffin tin or silicone mold, your old and broken crayons and a knife. Remove the paper from the crayons. Carefully cut into small pieces (supervise children or cut them yourself). The oven should be preheated to 250 degrees. Kiddos can then do this part: Fill each muffin cup with the crayon pieces. Do all one color, layers of colors or a wild mix of all colors! Bake for about 15 minutes — don't leave the oven area; there's a slim chance the crayons could smoke a bit ... watch closely. Allow the crayons to cool and firm up. They will be ready for drawing! - Heloise DEAR HELOISE: When the service at a restaurant is lacking, it is unacceptable and understandably frustrating. Sometimes, for workers in the service industry, things happen that are out of their control. Take your concerns to a member of management. But one thing you should not do is leave a tip of, say, a dollar, or just a few coins. That is more hurtful than no tip at all. - April in Texas Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com.