A5
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JANuARY 28, 2019
Think before you donate
Dear Annie: Would you aides should’ve said, “It was
please remind people to call so wonderful of you to think
and ask before they donate of us, but we can’t use knit-
items to charity, animal shel- ted blankets.” Instead, they
ters, nursing homes and thrift thanked the ladies and took
stores?
the blankets, knowing they
Years ago, when
were not going to use
DEAR
my husband was in
them.
ANNIE
a nursing home, a
The courtesy of
group of ladies spent
not giving away
many hours knitting
unneeded
items
beautiful lap blan-
should extend to
kets for the peo-
thrift stores, too. If
ple in the nursing
people have a stove
home. Right after the
or refrigerator that
women left the nurs- ANNIE LANE doesn’t work, they
Creators
ing home, aides put
shouldn’t leave it
Syndicate Inc.
all those lap blankets
behind a thrift store
on a cart and went in
after dark.
each room to ask the visitors
People need to stop and
whether they would like a think when they donate
blanket to take home. When clothes, as well. Don’t donate
they came to me and asked, things that no one would ever
I questioned where they had wear. Put those at the curb
gotten these beautiful knit for trash pickup. When our
blankets from. The aide said church was collecting clothes
that some women had made for the poor, we got a lot of
them for the nursing home. beautiful clothes, but we also
I then asked why they were got clothes no one would
giving them away. He said ever wear. The same happens
they didn’t have the time to to thrift stores. They get bag
take care of all the lap blan- after bag that they have to fill
kets for the patients. I didn’t their dumpsters with.
take one.
I am sure some people just
Why did the nursing don’t stop and think when
home take the blankets? The donating. For example, when
you can give a set of sheets,
give the pillowcases, too.
That would make the poor
happy. I had a friend who
worked at a thrift store. That
is why I know how much is
not good. — Loveland, Ohio
Dear Loveland: Thank
you for sharing with my
readers this very useful
advice. Though donating is
always a thoughtful initia-
tive, I think you have raised
an interesting issue. Prior to
giving away a piece of cloth-
ing, ask yourself, “Would
anyone want to wear this?”
I’d like to add that you never
should donate expired food.
People at thrift stores and
charities work hard to help
those in need. Let’s not give
them more work by forcing
them to sort through and dis-
card what should have been
put into the trash to begin
with. If your clothes are
overly ripped, torn, stained
or worn, then be consider-
ate and don’t donate these
items. And if you are a char-
ity and someone gives you
something very nice but you
don’t need it, then encourage
the person to give to another
charity in need.
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). There’s so much to do.
You’re not sure if it’s work or play, but you know
it’s fun, so who cares? Tonight: You’ll find your way
through what is, essentially, a maze.
important to know why. What’s the attracting force
bringing it together? What’s the commonality? In-
side this information is all you need to know to form
a good group or dissolve a bad one.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). If you’re not sticking to
your personal rules — not erecting and enforcing
personal boundaries — then it’s possible you’re
unconsciously telling someone that it’s OK for them
to continue in a way that’s not desirable to you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). There’s always
the option to walk out of the room. It doesn’t even
have to be a bad room. There might not be anything
technically wrong with the room, but if it’s not for
you, it’s not ... and you can just walk out.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You recognize what is
convenient for you and what makes sense for you,
and you have the right and the ability to say no
when it doesn’t fit into either category.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Not long ago, you
set out to solve a problem and you built a thing — a
system, tool, attitude, set of rules or a guiding phi-
losophy you hoped would be the answer. Now it’s
time to check that what you built works as intended.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). The easiest way to learn
the needs and wants of others is to simply ask. And
if you can’t ask others, ask yourself. To understand
yourself more thoroughly is to understand others at
deeper levels, too.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). A friendship takes your
focus. This relationship thrives with good timing and
healthy balance, which currently favors giving atten-
tion and quiet support over advice and efforts.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There’s an illusion going
on, made possible by distance. Get closer to the
action. Get inside the action if you can. That’s how
you’re going to know what’s really going on.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). To glimpse the future,
observe what’s happening at the boundaries.
Boundaries include: edges of territory, opening and
closing time, the limits of manners, customs and
rules, the change of clothing that signals a shifting
of roles.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Groups emerge. It’s
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). An agreement you
made is turning into much more work for you than
you thought it would be. There are people around
you who, with a request and some clear instruc-
tions, could easily help. All will go well.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You won’t start what
you can’t finish. That’s just not your style. Actually,
it’s no professional’s style. Professionals decide what
they are going to do and what “done” looks like, and
they don’t stop until the picture matches.
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 29). Your birthday
gift will be a productive shortcut that takes you on
a 10-week journey in five weeks. Other highlights of
the year include: getting reacquainted with an old
friend, enjoying family and your extended support
system in a new and more relaxed way and the
introduction of a novel and hip hobby. Cancer and
Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 10, 2,
22, 4 and 16.