Smiley Anders for June 19, 2012

Marsha Reichle reports on her recent trip to Europe:

“I had a free Sunday in Bratislava, Slovakia, and stopped in at their cathedral where Mass was being celebrated.

“It was just before communion, and I slipped into a back row behind a desk to avoid disturbing the congregants while I enjoyed the glorious organ music.

“An usher came and placed two wooden collection boxes (identifiable by the slots) in the desk.

“I thought, ‘I must look quite trustworthy, since the boxes were placed right next to me.’

“But at the end of the service the ushers came and got the boxes, and I realized they were empty.

“They stood on either side of the single open door, and as soon as the priest had hustled down the aisle he took over with one of the collection boxes.

“Every church member had to greet the priest, look him in the eye and deposit their offering in the box he held.

“Not surprisingly, very few failed to make a contribution when face-to-face with their pastor.

“Perhaps this would work at your church.”

Useful mud

After T. Med Hogg told of watching the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge mud from the Mississippi River then dump it back in the river years ago, we heard from Dudley Lehew, of Denham Springs:

“There are and have been for several years procedures in place to use the dredged mud for positive purposes.

“I worked with the corps several years ago to produce videos showing how it had changed policy and begun to dredge river mud to use in land reclamation — placing it onshore where erosion has washed away land, or hauling it to areas to create habitat islands for wildlife.

“Queen Bess Island near the Gulf is a successful project that is now home for hundreds of pelicans.

“Much of our wonderful coastal marshes, which Louisiana has been losing at an alarming rate of 25-30 square miles a year, is being restored as the mud is pumped over levees and into waters that once were marshes.

“The corps, like us, has learned to recycle — and is doing a good job of it!”

Oops, wrong Dodge!

Judy Roeling says, “A young lady, Abbie Redean, left a lovely Father’s Day card for her ‘PawPaw’ on the windshield of our Dodge Caravan Sunday afternoon in T.J. Ribs’ parking lot.

“If she, or someone in her family, will send me his name and address I will be happy to mail the card to PawPaw.

“It would be a shame for him not to receive the special card and personal message she has for him.”

Judy’s at [e-mail].

Oops, wrong Begnaud!

Robert Begnaud says when his wife, Barbara, sent me a note about their granddaughter Jordyn Parrish and her upcoming move to the new Woman’s Hospital, his name somehow became Ralph Begnaud, the name of a Cajun comedian, now deceased.

Robert says, “Friends and relatives from all over read it, and now call me Ralph instead of Robert.”

Worthy causes

From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, The Silver Sun, 11445 Coursey Blvd., will donate to the American Heart Association 20 percent of all cash paid for old or broken gold, silver or platinum jewelry. In addition, 10 percent of all jewelry sales through June 30 will go to the heart association.

Special People Dept.

• Addie Bellue, of Greensburg, celebrated her 94th birthday Monday.
• Millie “Mom Mom” Broussard, of Lafayette, celebrated her 93rd birthday Friday.
• Sharkey Vance Chaney, a World War II Army Signal Corps veteran, celebrates his 92nd birthday Tuesday.
• Jim and Natalie Heard Elbourne celebrated their 69th anniversary Monday.
• P. Kirby and Gladys Goudeau, of Greenwell Springs, celebrated their 67th anniversary Saturday.
• On Saturday, Fred and Mona Kramer celebrated 65 years of marriage.
• Rudolph and Betty Jean Watson, of Denham Springs, celebrate their 60th anniversary Tuesday.
• Nancy and Jim LaBauve celebrated their 50th anniversary Saturday.

Hide and seek

Marvin Borgmeyer says, “My wife offered our house for a baby shower over the weekend.

“It was great to do so, as the house got some extra cleaning. However, I had to trim every bush in the yard — and now I have to figure out where she put all the stuff that is usually left out.”

Tale of repaintance

Sarah Stravinska says our recent story of Bible verses painted on church doors “reminded me of my stint as a church door painter.

“I was a member of The Little Church Around the Corner in New York City.

“Our youth group was assigned the task of painting an appropriate saint’s name on classroom doors, etc.

“So on the bathroom door I painted ‘Saint John.’

“The priest was amused, but made me paint it out.”

Write Smiley at [e-mail]. He can also be reached by fax at [phone] or mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821.