If you have a stash of trading cards, make sure to hang onto them, or sell them. A recent story in the Erie Times-News discussed a collection worth millions. Read about it here. The rare series of baseball cards was dated around 1910.

It’s not just baseball cards that have value. At our house, we have football, baseball, basketball, hockey and, yes, Pokemon cards. Most of the valuable cards were cashed in for college educations around here, but we never hit the jackpot. And there are jackpots to hit.

Anyone who remembers Pokemon — and has the cards, popular in the 1990s — will want to read this article.  It describes the 10 most valuable trading cards. A Pokemon Pikachu Illustrator is worth about $20,000. It is rare, but other cards are worth anywhere from $500 to $2,000.

I remember we spent a lot of time collecting cards when my boys were young. Over the years, they bought and sold them. Even local ENT Dr. Jack Anon got into trading cards with the kids. He bought them and gave them away — making a lot of friends. Before you toss a box of cards — check out the value. Who would have guessed that Pokemon would have big value decades later?

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

If your kids ever picked up a bat, you’ll love Jennie Geisler’s column in today’s Erie Times-News. Read it here.

It brought back great memories for me. My daughter always shook her butt as she dug in at home plate. The determined look on her face is something we have seen for years — in sports and in life.

My oldest son pitched, played catcher and scared me to death for years. The day he said he didn’t need his glasses and went to practice … I still feel that fear, but he was fine. And he was a lefty — a good thing in pitching and catching.

Enjoy Jennie’s column.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

Bat one out of the park for Father’s Day, June 17, with a baseball wrapped in a photo of Dad’s favorite team stadium — collectibles too! Visit www.unforgettaballs.com where gift baseballs celebrating ballparks and stadiums cost about $17.50 plus shipping. Each ball includes a Lucite container. Add a wood base for $12.50; or hoist the ball on a trio of miniature baseball bats for another $6.75.

For avid fans, buy Dad 20 of them and line them up in a $65.95 beautiful display case. More great gift ideas are available from Restoration Hardware — really cool stuff!

Pam Parker is an award-winning writer and editor for Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

If you need a reason to smile today, check out the Varsity faces of winter.

It’s been a few years since our kids were on varsity football, basketball, track, cross-country, wrestling, lacrosse and baseball teams, but seeing the smiling faces of kids supporting each other and celebrating brings back memories — good memories of teamwork.

An article in our March issue of Lake Erie LifeStyle about 98-year-old baseball fan Betty Peebles prompted a local fan to recall that our regiona had its own women’s baseball league much like the movie A League of Their Own. That memorable 1992 movie discussed the real All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which is documented at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Hundreds of women played baseball while men were away at war. The league included 92 teams from 1943 to 1954, according to Wikipedia.

The movie starred Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell. Penny Marshall directed. So far, we are researching the idea, but striking out. If you have any information, please e-mail me at pam.parker@timesnews.com.