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Fan Care

Today my fax machine started ringing off the hook.

Usually the only calls to that number which I'm not expecting are junk faxes, so I just reach over and hit the cancel button. When the first call came in, I reached over and hit the cancel button. Then another call came in. I hit the cancel button again. Then another call .

The junk fax people are rarely so persistent. Figuring that actual humans might be calling, I started answering the phone. It was old people wanting free fans. They got my number off the television.

Lots of old people want free fans.

I disconnected my fax machine and did a little research. Turns out, there's a "Fan Care" program which provides free fans to low income senior citizens. Detailed information is not available online, at least that I could find, because low income senior citizens who can't afford electric fans are not likely to have internet access. In between the incoming calls to my fax machine (did I mention I was trying to finish up a big job on a tight deadline?), I made a couple desperate calls to the voice-jails of the state Department on Aging and any other agency that might have something, anything to do with Fan Care. Much as I want these people to get their free fans, I don't want them calling me!

One of the state people called me back. Turns out that the phone numbers at Senior Connections, who administer the Fan Care program locally, are only one digit different than my fax number. She said she'd seen the announcement on Channel 6 and since she knew the pertinent people at the TV station and Senior Connections, she'd call and make sure the correct phone number was being broadcast.

After that the phone calls stopped coming. Either the announcement wasn't repeated, or they got the number right.

Phew.

The Fan Care program runs through September. If I get accidental calls from people missing a digit, that's just life. But I don't want to get all the calls. I think tomorrow I'll call Senior Connections and get the proper Fan Care number so I can pass it on to my next batch of fans.