VETERANS: Not every member of the Armed Forces was a combat hero, but all deserve recognition for their contributions and putting their personal lives on hold to serve in whatever capacity the military needed.

That is why we compile stories and photos of servicemen and women each year for Saluting Our Veterans, a special insert in the Nov. 11 edition.

We urge family members to submit print-quality photos accompanied with as much information as is known about a veteran’s service — either in decades past or today. Again, the service did not have to be during a war or in a combat area — all veterans’ stories and photos are welcome.

Information and attached photos may be sent via email to bradfordera@yahoo.com, or the materials may be presented at the Era newsroom, where photos can be digitized. Materials may be presented from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Era newsroom.

The deadline for submission is Thursday, Nov. 2.

A reminder: Photocopies of images cannot be reproduced for our printing purposes — we need an original image, which will be scanned right away and returned to the owner.

Please, do not send materials you would want back via the U.S. Postal Service.

PHONE BOOTHS: We enjoyed these alternate uses for phone booths one reader submitted.

“With regards to the RTS items concerning pay phones/phone booths; the Oct. 23, 2009, USA Today identifies a novel use of a phone booth.

Located in Yellow Springs, OH (home of Antioch College), Japanese artist, Migiwa Orimo had set up a phone booth for artistic purposes. One could pick up the receiver and hear recordings from ‘Spoon River Anthology.’”

Our reader shared three other ideas for new uses of old phone booths: “There could one at Pitt-Bradford with readings from the Baily’s Beads, the Marilyn Horne Museum could have music and The Era could offer ’Round the Square through the receiver! Thoughts?”

Another phone booth fact our reader found in USA Today: In 1999, there were 2.1 million of them; in 2009 there were 555,128.