Call before donating yearbooks

Dear Heloise: I am writing on the topic of donating yearbooks as a former board member of a local historical society. Please advise your readers to contact the historical society (or library) first to see if they are seeking yearbooks.Many historical societies or libraries may already have a copy in good condition. Some may need a particular year, while others may be flooded with books and won't accept them. Yearbooks should be in good condition, not falling apart. At our organization, when we accept them, it's only when there is no writing on the inside because there could be information about the original owner or the person who signed the book.Why am I sharing this? Because there is nothing as heartbreaking as when someone shows up unannounced with yearbooks only to be told that they are unneeded. Stu Haley in Shaker Heights, Ohio Dear Heloise: I am constantly unable to find things — my car in a large parking lot, key fobs, my wallet, my checkbook, etc. So, I bought eight Bluetooth trackers and put them with these items. With my cellphone, I have located three items during the past two months with the help of these trackers. If I cannot find my cellphone, though, I'm in trouble! Steve T. via email Dear Heloise: Gail N. said she added a teaspoon of hot water to take stains out of a coffeepot. A bartender I know would put a tablespoon of baking soda in the pot, which was full of water. The pot would be clean in the morning. Gene from Dayton, Ohio Dear Heloise: People keep writing in with the wrong advice for blood. Blood is a protein, and hydrogen peroxide dissolves it almost immediately. After it is dissolved, it's time to try a laundry treatment before washing the item. Pattie Shinn in Huntsville, Arkansas Dear Heloise: I have discovered a splendid use for the plastic bags that contain dry cereal in paperboard boxes. In recent years, these bags have evolved to be heavier, leakproof and puncture-resistant. They have countless uses well after their intended purpose.They make excellent freezer bags for ice cream cartons, for instance, or for storing anything in the freezer with the expectation that the contents will remain dry and frost-free.Don't throw them out once the cereal is gone; repurpose them as they are much better performing than traditional, thin, low-density polyethylene bags. Steven M. Dembow in Merrimack, New Hampshire Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com.