The record, 16 décembre 1997, Supplément 1

Lennoxville LINK Serving the greater Lennoxville area Tuesday, December 16, 1997 What’s Inside /SONC \ Angels of Christmas sing in Ayer’s Cliff The Beulah United Church was filled to capacity Sunday evening as about 125 people braved the bitter cold to enjoy a performance of the l cantata Angels of Christmas.Page 5., STUDENT Volleying in a winter wonderland Grade 6 students from Compton County schools came to Lennoxville Elementary on Dec.3 to play beach volleyball and have a pizza party with \their grade 6 hosts.Page 4._____ CREATIVE WRITING Christmas in Grandpa Willie’s dream Every season has its memories, some good and some bad.Grandpa Willie dozed in his antique wicker-back rocker and dreamed of a Christmas long, long ago when he was just a little fellow.D’Arcy O’Donnell shares his seasonal memories.Page 2.ENTERTAINMENT TSN airs all Legends of Hockey for Christmas Day; Canadian Brass star in seasonal special Dec.23 TSN has wrapped up a big present for hockey fans this Christmas: All five episodes of the acclaimed series The Legends of Hockey air consecutively on Thursday.Dec.25.For 27 years, the Canadian Brass has been changing the world’s perception of brass music.And the quintet’s new TV special, The Canadian Brass: A Christmas Experiment, airing Tuesday, Dec.23, on CBC, continues this tradition.Page 6.j&« ¦ ¦ Real baby bonus BRUCE PATTON/CORRESPONDENT Each year, the municipality of Compton provides a gift of $100 to the parents of any newborn children within the municipality.On Sunday, at a special reception organized in part by the Compton Lion’s Club, proud dad Leslie Parker was on hand with daughter Dayna to receive a cheque presented by Compton mayor Eugene Naylor.Dayna is the daughter of Donna McKinnon, an employee of The Record.- Bruce Patton, Record Correspondent.Women’s Centre’s basket campaign has enough for 25 families Food for the holidays By Sylvia Warden Sherbrooke Staff at the Lennoxville and District Women’s Centre are pleased with the donations they’ve received for this year’s Christmas basket campaign.“At this point, we think we’ll be able to help 25 families,” said Terry Moore, coordinator of the women’s centre.The basket campaign, run in conjunction with The Record and radio station CFLX-FM, is in its second year and Moore is pleased with the community’s response.“I think we’re doing really well.basically, it’s the local community giving back,” said Moore.“It’s nice to see anglophones help each other out.” Moore said her spirits were lifted Monday afternoon when she received two van loads of food and more than $500 in donations.The goods came from drop boxes at The Record, a Bishop’s basketball game and money raised from a fund-raising dinner and a morning movie show.“People are generous - those that are aware of our campaign,” she said.The recent postal strike did little to help spread the word.Usually the campaign is advertised in the centre’s monthly newsletter that is mailed to members.But with the postal strike, members were late in receiving information and consequently afternoon donations had been slow to come in to the centre until yesterday.Even so, Moore projects the campaign will help about 25 families in need.Helping families headed by single women is a special goal of the campaign and the centre.“You don’t have to be on social assistance, either (to receive a basket),” Moore said.Each basket contains perishable and non-perishable food items.Last year organizers included toys, candy and mittens in the baskets.“We need everything but don’t bring in ice cream cones because the people can’t afford the ice cream to fill the cones.So you have to be smart,” Moore said.Boxed macaroni and cheese is a staple in many recipients’ diets so putting SEE BASKETS, PAGE 3 page 2 Tuesday, December 16, 1997 ¦Lennoxville- ¦¦ LINK : FROM THE PENS OF E.T.WRITERS The Christmas in Grandpa Willie's dream By D’Arcy O’Donnell Season has its memories, some good and some bad Grandpa Willie dozed in his antique wicker-back rocker and dreamed of a Christmas long, long ago when he was just a little fellow.The golden retriever at his feet whimpered and uttered a few muffled barks as dogs sometimes will when having a dream.She was probably dreaming of chasing a rabbit across the meadow and into the forest.As the old man moved slightly, a solitary tear rolled down his craggy face, weather-beaten to the color of brown shoe leather.The tear formed in his eye as his thoughts suddenly switched from Christmas to sad days of his early childhood.You see, the little fellow who grew to be an old man lost his daddy when he was three years old.The little fellow was known then as Billy, but by the time he became a grandfather, he was known as Grandpa Willie.They say children cannot remember things that happened when they were three years old, but Billy could.He remembered how his Dad was very, very sick.The doctor came and after his examination whispered to Billy’s mum that his Dad had double pneumonia.His mummie cried because way back in those days there was no cure for double pneumonia.It was only a day or two later that Billy’s dad went to sleep and never woke up.Men came and went to his dad’s bedroom.Later, they carried him downstairs.He was dressed in his Sunday-best blue serge suit.The men took him into the living room and placed him in what was called a coffin.People came and prayed.Some cried when they spoke with Billy’s mum, who now was left alone with four children ranging in age from six months to seven years.Then the day came when they took the coffin away.Everyone seemed to be crying, men and women alike.Billy could not understand why his dad did not wake up.People kept telling him that his dad had gone to heaven, but this was something his three-year-old mind could not grasp.On occasion after that he would cry as though his heart was broken.His mum would come and take him on her knee and ask him why he was crying.He would say he wanted his dad to come back.But he stopped doing that when he saw that it made his mummie sad and even made her cry.And so it came to pass that as Billy grew he realized that his only memories of his dad were of the few days while he was sick and the few days he was in his coffin in the living room.Billy could not remember anything special about his life when he was four years old, but when he was five, going on six, he had a wonderful, wonderful Christmas which remained with him in his dreams even up to the time he became Grandpa Willie.Billy knew it was going to be an extra special time when his mum got out the cookie sheet and the cake pans and started to make all kinds of goodies.His mum had to save all year to get what she needed for her cooking.The meagre household budget did not permit such luxury during the year.When Christmas Eve came, Billy’s whole being seemed about to burst in anticipation.They told him Santa Claus would come that night.And he came shortly after supper, accompanied by some of the neighbors.He brought food and clothing and an orange and some candies for each of the children.There were no toys.In those days, Santa could not afford to give them to everyone.But Billy’s real Christmas began with the arrival of his fat, jovial uncle in a big double sleigh pulled by two horses, one black and one chestnut.He threw blankets over the horses and came into the house and had a light lunch before everyone dressed and went to midnight mass in the village church.Billy could not recall having been in church before and the music and singing were the most beautiful he had ever heard.Eventually, though, his little head began to nod and he fell asleep against his mum’s shoulder.She woke him when the mass ended and as they left the church, they were surrounded by happy people.There were wishes of Merry Christmas and much kissing and hugging.Oh! what a happy time it was.When back home again, Billy’s mum served a meal of baked ham and home made raisin bread, cookies, cake, milk and tea.It all tasted so good at that time of night.Then, with tummies full, it was time to pile into the great sleigh and snuggle in among the buffalo robes for the five mile ride to Grandma’s farm.The horses needed no urging, they knew they were heading home to an extra ration of oats.Once clear of the village lights and out into the country, the sky suddenly became filled with a million stars, each twinkling like so many lights on a giant Christmas tree.High overhead a full moon played a game of hide-and-seek, dashing in and out of wispy clouds as they floated by.Out in the fields, new snow glittered like so many diamonds in a brilliantly-lit jewelry store window.Every so often, a gentle breeze would stir some of the flakes into a spirited game of tag.Off in the distance on a darkened house, there appeared to be a Santa-like figure on his way down a chimney with a sack on his back.And the jingle of the sleigh bells provided background music to the unforgettable scene.When the horses pulled the sleigh to the crest of a hill, everyone looked down and saw that Grandma had the oil lamps lit.Her old brown, black and white collie had barked a warning that someone was coming.The horses whinnied at the sight of their barn.What a greeting Grandma had for everyone, but she soon chased the young ones off to bed and helped them sink into feather mattresses where sleep came in the wink of an eye.The next day.Grandma had gifts for everyone.Billy remembered the doubleknit woolen mitts, the woolen scarf and tuque.He put them on to go and visit the cows, horses and chickens.Soon Grandma said dinner was ready.Billy could not remember ever seeing a table loaded with so much food.Every bite seemed to taste better than the last.Before you knew it, it was time to get into the big sleigh again for the trip home.And that was the Christmas Billy enjoyed when he was five, going on six.That was the Christmas in Grandpa Willie’s dream.Oh, how I wish I could relive that Christmas! Merry Christmas! Telephones Extra telephone jacks Cordless phones DAVE MOORE Do More For Le$$ 564-2303 certificates available LAST MINUTE SUGGESTIONS ¦EiÆgaaiLiLajjLgajL 135 Queen Lennoxville 569-1151 ¦¦ ci.:M-*4 W'-»; Jessie AuUs aturmcm Duval unload some qfihe donations PERRY BEATON, CORRESPONDENT! :*£*** !UI„ BEC .U'H ;Lennoxville: ; LINK ¦ Tuesday, December 16, 1997 page 3 Juice and cereal are still needed - Moore Baskets: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 it in a Christmas basket really isn’t a treat either, Moore added.After surveying the goods dropped off yesterday, Moore said juice and cereal were still needed.“The more the merrier is my attitude,” Moore said.“People are still poor for the rest of the month.” While food is the preferred form of donation, money is also needed to help buy perishable goods such as meat, milk and fresh vegetables.The campaign has benefited from donations from the Eastern Townships Women’s Foundation, and two sororities at Bishop’s University have also made contributions.In addition, radio personality and Record correspondent Jessie Aulis has worked hard to organize a fund-raising dinner and morning movie show to benefit the campaign.This year the women’s centre also made a donation to the L’Escale shelter in Sherbrooke for victims of violence which will be home to about 20 women andUO children who have nowhere else to go this Christmas season.More than four garbage bags loaded with teddy bears and toys along with 30 gift bags filled with toiletries were dropped off at the shelter following a December Holiday Helping Hand Open House on Dec.5 at the women’s centre.As the basket campaign winds down, donations will be accepted at the women’s centre in Lennoxville until Thursday and volunteers are needed to help sort food and pack baskets.If you would like to receive a Christmas basket, call the women’s centre at 564-6626 to add your name to the list.To make a donation of goods or if you have a few hours to spare, drop by the centre between 8:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m.until Thursday, Dec.18.New executive makes contact .JO-ANNE HOVEY/SPECIA1 TO THE RECORD Michel Gauthier, former president of the business group Contact Sher-Lenn, stands with its new executive members Danielle Cassar, secretary, Ginette Martin, treasurer, Judy Wilson Budning, vice-president, and Paul Laberge, president.The next meeting with the new executive takes place Jan.16 at the Motel La Paysanne in Lennoxville.PERRY BEATON/CORRESPONDENT Jessie Aulis, Terry Moore and Susan Mastine with a mountain of food that was collected during the Christmas Baskets campaign.Lift weights, lift your spirits! Next time you're carrying the weight of the worid on your shoutders, let physical activity tighten the Load.Sharing a Heaiiier Future” ¦ — pamrc/pacnon James Meat & Fish Market Home-made MINCE-MEAT Smoked SALMON Atlantic & Sockeye $1995/ib.PIE FILLING $272 ,b MEAT PIE FILLING Pork-Beef-Veal $195,h Prime Rib ROAST $495ib Parking in back *S******»***»»**»**»*»»**» Lennoxville page 4 Tuesday, December 16, 1997 Summertime is a state of mind.v ; .Ppgpfglf; «.i ¦NM f™ ¦SIS ** * ***!"* » %**1 ' X**5*f4*»'l ^ ********** 1 ¦&v *##•#¦***** ’H**»******'1 - ^ i*8 * - - pf WHSR#! 5 SS?V”>" ,0 ¦*#*** •; • •>•-•