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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Buying a savings bond is hard work Kristi O'Harran Herald Columnist This is downright un-American. Poor old Uncle Sam. I ran out at lunchtime Friday, in a downpour, to buy savings bonds for two toddlers who celebrated birthdays Saturday. Close to work, I popped into Washington Mutual in downtown Everett, but they don't sell bonds at that branch. Hmmmmm. I hurried to Northwest Plus Credit Union in Everett, and the teller said they don't sell bonds anymore. Not enough yield. I missed that memo. I mentioned that my granddaughter doesn't have a mutual fund account. I aim to buy her a stack of bonds to be used for her airfare to college. At Frontier Bank, wonderful, the teller said they sold savings bonds. Uh oh, I couldn't buy any because I don't bank there. Huffy, I was very huffy. When I finally hit my place, Bank of America, not only did they sell me savings bonds, they had free suckers. n n n It's Earth Day. Sarah Wallace of Everett has an idea to help save the planet. "Only heat clothes in the dryer for 20 minutes, take them out and hang them up," Wallace says. "They will finish drying in the house." I've got a question for Earth Day: If I don't use plastic bags from the grocery store anymore, what will I use to line my waste baskets? n n n I plowed too deep. Arbor Place Assisted Living Community in Everett celebrates Arbor Day on Friday by granting a wish from more than 100 residents who asked to plant a Christmas tree. They want to watch it grow. I asked Kay LaBreche, community relations director, if the seniors were perhaps yearning for longevity. It takes a long time for a tree to grow. "I agree about yearning for longevity," she says. "I also believe some of them just plain ol' miss their own home gardens and trees." n n n Let's give them a three-fingered salute. Boy Scouts recently collected 10,845 pounds of food for Volunteers of America. And they donated $1,026.38 in cash. Duc Button, district director for the Mount Baker Council, BSA, says Cub Scout Packs and Boy Scout Troops stood in front Albertsons and Safeway stores for two weeks collecting goods. "We found that by doing this, we get new products, instead of old stuff from the cupboard, that may or may not be safe," Button says. "The stores like it, because their sales increase and the Scouts are well behaved." They also have a positive impact on the community, by doing a good turn, he says. "Some boys have joined Scouting because they saw a Boy Scout doing a service." n n n Fun Fact: Joan Cook went to a Ford Mustang classic car show. She got so excited, she hyperventilated and had to sit down before she fell over. Cook, administrative coordinator with the engineering department for the city of Monroe, says she has owned several great cars, including a 1965 Mustang, a 1956 Ford T-Bird and a 1967 Pontiac GTO. "Now we have a little (Mazda) Miata convertible just for fun, though it's not a classic," she says. "Since I didn't save any of my cool cars in the past, they are now really expensive! So I fill up my classic car 'gas tank' by going to shows and drooling." Columnist Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.

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