12-06-2018 Hometown Holiday Happenings; Watervliet’s Hometown Christmas welcomed Santa with family f

Hometown Holiday Happenings

Tri-City Record Giving Tree, a way to help those in need this Christmas

What is the Giving Tree? It is a Christmas tree in the Tri-City Record office at 138 N. Main Street in Watervliet that will be loaded with hanging tags. Each of those tags will have a gift request written on it for a child in need. We are asking readers to stop by and select a tag or two off of the tree, then go out and buy the item listed on the tag. Return the new item, unwrapped with the tag by Wednesday, December 19. Tri-City Angel helpers will then wrap the gifts and deliver them to the families prior to Christmas.

The Tree is up and information is being gathered about the Tri-City families that will be adopted. Interested readers should start to see some tags appear on the tree in the next couple of days.

Please join in giving a local child a little hope this Christmas. Please join in giving a hand up to a family that is struggling. Please join in showing that love and kindness do still exist, especially in the Tri-City Area.

A challenge this Christmas season is to take a moment to do something nice for someone else. It can be as small as holding a door for someone while out shopping, smiling at someone passed on the street, or taking cookies to a neighbor. Whatever the case may be spread some kindness. Be surprised at how it will not only make someone else’s day, but will also put a smile on your face too!

VFW Post 1137 annual Needy Family program

Watervliet VFW Post 1137 located at 8777 Red Arrow Hwy in Watervliet is accepting donations to their annual Needy Family program to assist six families in the Coloma, Hartford and Watervliet area for the Christmas season.

Anyone wishing to make a donation of canned goods, non-perishable food items or a monetary gift please call Corky Openneer at 463-7544 to arrange for pick-up or delivery.

Collections are needed in time for a December 22 delivery. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Berrien RESA’s Blossomland Learning Center to host holiday bazaar Dec. 7

Berrien Regional Education Service Agency’s Blossomland Learning Center is hosting a Holiday Bazaar open to the public on Friday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will take place at Blossomland Learning Center, 711 St. Joseph Avenue in Berrien Springs.

The Blossomland Learning Center Holiday Bazaar will feature an assortment of items including various crafts, ceramic art, baked goods, ornaments and more!  There will also be several raffle items as well as light lunch options.

Proceeds from the bazaar will benefit BLC students by             providing them with classroom materials, opportunities for social gatherings and community outings.

Community Soup

& Salad Supper

Friday, Dec. 7

A Community Soup & Salad Supper will be held from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, December 7, at the North Berrien Senior Center, 6648 Ryno Road in Coloma.

The menu includes soup, salad, bread, dessert and beverage.

The public is invited. Cost for adults is $5; $3 for children up to 12 years of age; and free for children under three.

Proceeds go to the H.O.P.E. Resources Food Pantry located at Coloma United Methodist Church. This month’s supper is hosted by the North Berrien Senior Center.

Animal Aid’s Christmas Open House & Reindog Parade

Animal Aid welcomes everyone including pet owners and their pets to the 29th Annual Christmas Open House. Join them at the St. Joseph City Library on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. just before the Reindog Parade – which starts at 4 p.m. Enter and shake off the cold and warm up your heart!

Enjoy cake, punch and holiday cheer! Meet some of their foster cats and perhaps dogs. Shop for baked goods, stocking stuffers, pet items, jewelry and logo apparel. Partake in the Silent Auction benefiting their emergency rescue fund and bid on gifts for giving or keeping.

For donations of new items or gift cards, please contact Mickey Spencer at 269-934-8685.

A Memorial Tree will be featured so pet companions who are no longer with their humans can be honored through a donation to needy pets helped by Animal Aid.

Animal Aid is an all-volunteer rescue group which has helped local dogs and cats for over 36 years. Their single largest expense is medical treatment and care for the animals that come into their program after being abused, neglected or traumatically injured. Monetary donation will help them continue to provide care that these animals need and deserve to give them a second chance and hope for a better future. New foster parents are always welcome.

Greens Workshop at Sarett on Saturday

On Saturday, December 8 at 2 p.m. Sarett Nature Center is holding a Greens Workshop. They will provide many varieties of natural greens to create wreaths, swags, baskets or centerpieces. Cost is $15 and includes greens and instructions; bring your own clippers, frames, wire and ribbon. Call to register at (269) 927-4832.

Christmas in Hartford

The theme for Christmas 2018 in Hartford is “Salute to the Troops”. The Hartford Public Library is decorated in red, white and blue. They have one Christmas tree decorated with ornaments from the military branches of service. The other four trees have framed photos of Hartford men who served our country from World War II to present.

The Christmas Celebration and Parade is Saturday, Dec. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hartford Public Library. The parade begins at 6 p.m. which brings Santa to the library, free photos with Santa, a free Holiday Extravaganza drawing, refreshments and live Christmas music.

The event is sponsored by the Hartford Public Library, the Hartford Lions Club and the Hartford Chamber of Commerce. For information call (269)621-3408 or email hartfordlib@yahoo.com.

Winter Wonderland at Midway

A free, family outdoor event for kids up to 5th grade will be held Sunday, December 9 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Midway Baptist Church, 7517 Red Arrow Hwy. in Watervliet.

There will be “trunks of treats”, hot chocolate, candy cane hunt, Christmas movie and more!

Visit Santa at Sarett Dec. 9

Santa will be visiting Sarett on Sunday, December 9 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Bring your camera and get a picture taken with Santa and tell him your Christmas wishes! Sarett naturalists will also have nature crafts to make and take for $1 -$2.

Christmas Sing-A-Long

Do you enjoy the sounds and sights of Christmas?  You’re invited to experience the songs you love to hear at Christmas by joining your friends at Crystal Springs Church of God for Christmas Sing-A-Long!  This family fun free event on Sunday, Dec. 9 will start at 6:30 p.m. with snacks and goodies after the program.

The church is located at 1465 Pipestone Road in Benton Harbor next door to Crystal Springs Florist. Check out www.crystalspringsfamily.com for more information or call the church at (269) 925-1843.

WHS Student Council Food Drive for the Holidays

The Watervliet High School Student Council is sponsoring a food drive to stock a local food pantry for the holidays!

On Thursday, Dec. 13 residents are encouraged to bring five canned or non-perishable food items to the JV basketball games and get in free. Junior Varsity Girls and Boys Basketball games against Gobles are held in the high school gym at 5:30 and 7:00 p.m.

Items being suggested include canned goods, boxed cake mixes and baking items, cereal, granola bars, etc.

Watervliet’s Best Lighted House Contest ends Dec. 15

Watervliet’s Best Lighted House contest is sponsored by the City of Watervliet. It runs until December 15, 2018.

To enter, participants must post a photo and/or video of their Christmas display on the Watervliet’s Best Lighted House Facebook event page. Then send the street address via Facebook Messenger to Katie Ann Muth so authenticity can be verified. Please do NOT post the address with the photo.

Entries can be made any time until Dec. 15.

Once the entry has been posted, then share the event and photo with all your Facebook friends. Be sure to “invite” friends and ask them to vote for your house on the event page. The three photos with the most “likes” and “shares” total will be eligible to win. At midnight on Dec. 15 “Likes and Shares” will be counted on the event page ONLY. Prizes for this contest are 1st place: $100 cash courtesy of State Farm agent Karla Smothers; 2nd place: $50 B&B Grocery gift card; and 3rd place: $20 cash courtesy of Moo’s Place.

RSVP on the event page as “going” so that more information can be seen and contestants’ entries can be viewed.

Best Way Disposal Toy Drive ends Dec. 17

This year Best Way Disposal is facilitating a toy drive to benefit our local children in the foster care system in Berrien County. They would love for our community and their customers to join them in spreading Christmas cheer!

Please drop off new, unwrapped toys and gifts for infants through teens at their drop box located at the 7901 Dan Smith Rd. office.

The Toy Drive ends on Monday, Dec. 17.

Christmas special services at Coloma UMC

Blue Christmas Dec. 16 at 7:00 p.m.

This service is especially for those not experiencing a “Merry” Christmas for whatever reason.

Children’s Christmas Pageant Dec. 23 at 10:00 a.m.

A wonderful opportunity for kids of all ages to participate in the story of the birth of Jesus!

(No lines to learn-assemble at 9:30 am to prepare.)

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Dec. 24 at 8:00 p.m.

Love Feast Dec. 30 at 10:00 a.m.

(Hymn Sing)

All are welcome to join in celebrating the birth of Jesus!

Coloma United Methodist Church is located at 144 S. Church Street. Call 269-468-6062 for more information.

IN GOOD COMPANY… Santa and Mrs. Claus kept good company Sunday evening as the 2018 Watervliet Court of Honor celebrated the start of the holiday season. Joining in the Claus fun was Little Mr. Firecracker Bradyn Fuller, Little Miss Firecracker Charlotte Weber, Miss Watervliet Ellie Troyer, 2nd Runner-up Zoe Smith, and Miss Congeniality Courtney Little. (TCR photos by Kristy Noack)

BLITZEN LOVE… Blitzen, a seven-year-old female reindeer from Reindeer Ranch in Kalamazoo, receives a little love from Margarita Ayale, 6, of Watervliet. Ayale celebrated the start of the Christmas season with her family in downtown Watervliet Sunday evening.

Watervliet’s Hometown Christmas welcomed Santa with family fun

By Kristy Noack It may have been a wet – rather than wintery – wonderland along Main Street in Watervliet last weekend, but Santa was welcomed nonetheless by children and those young at heart. Watervliet’s Hometown Christmas Celebration kicked off Saturday evening with cookie decorating and a chili cook-off at Arclight Brewing Company. Nine local chefs debuted their culinary chili delights and vied for Arclight gift certificates. Winning first place and $75 was Brad Lanier with his “Smoked Brisket Chili” entry. Second place and $50 was won by Cee Cee Circosta with “The Chili with No Name.” Stan Greene won third place and $25 with his “I Don’t Play” chili entry.

SINGS AND STRINGS… Brandon Mattson, the Watervliet elementary schools’ music and choir director, plays the guitar and sings with students following Sunday’s parade in downtown Watervliet. The choir also sang in the parade as they marched along Main Street.

The chili cook-off was sponsored by Arclight, and the company donated $20 to each contestant to help cover the cost of cooking supplies. Judges for the event were Stephanie Andrews, Brad Muth, Matt Gaipa, and Scott Hobson. Saturday’s evening entertainment at Arclight featured Big Ben and the Burly Boys. The snowman building contest, scheduled for Saturday afternoon, was cancelled due to the rain.

The hometown celebration continued Sunday with plenty of events on tap. The Snow Prince and Princess contest held their crowning at Arclight. Aidan Bethea, 12, was crowned Snow Prince. First Runner-up to the Snow Prince is Blake Robbins, 14. Bethea said, “It felt good,” to win the title. Amber Robbins, 11, is the 2018 Snow Princess and is the sister of Blake. Olivia Camp, 11, earned First Runner-up honors. Robbins is looking forward to “being in the parades.” All four court members are students at Watervliet Middle School. Twelve contestants participated. Voting boxes had been placed at Wesco, Cool Tan, B&B Grocery, and Arclight. The monies raised from the event are donated to the Watervliet Middle School’s Student of the Month and are also used for the Hometown Celebration.

A LITTLE CHILI INSIDE… Arclight Brewing Company held a chili cook off Saturday as part of Watervliet’s Hometown Christmas Celebration weekend. Matt Gaipa (left) was joined by Brad Muth, Stephanie Andrews, and Scott Hobson (not pictured) in judging the contest. Taking first place in the competition was Brad Lanier with his smoked brisket chili. Cee Cee Circosta finished second with the “chili with no name” and Stan Greene took third place with his “I Don’t Play” entry.

Following the Snow Prince and Princess crowning, Santa arrived in town, courtesy of the Watervliet Fire Department, as kids lined Main Street for the evening parade. Brandon Mattson, music and choir director at the Watervliet elementary schools, made a joyful noise through town as the choir sang Christmas carols as they walked. Olivia, Mason, and Destiny Kinzler’s gingerbread house won $100 after being selected as the parade’s best entry. The parade route began at the fire department and ended at Arclight, where Santa and Mrs. Claus posed for photos with children. Accompanying Santa was two of his favorite reindeer, Blitzen and Dasher. The reindeer hailed from Reindeer Ranch in Kalamazoo. Additional activities included an ugly sweater contest, best dog dressed as a reindeer, and holiday hair and glitter tattoos provided by Robert Michael Salon. Tyler Dotson won the adult division of the ugly sweater contest, while Avery Openneer won the teen division. Donny Divis and his dog Hemmie won the best reindeer dog contest. Thirteen businesses in Watervliet joined in the holiday fun by participating in the storefront decorating contest. Winning first place and $100 was the Sidetrack Café, who promptly donated the money back to the Hometown Christmas committee. Scott’s Auto Sales won second place in the business decorating; they won a $50 gift certificate to DiMaggio’s. Third place, and a $30 gift certificate to Panthers Grill, was won by Robert Michael Salon. Arclight is the local drop off site for Toys for Tots. The box will be available to accept new, unwrapped toys for distribution through the second week of December.

2018 SNOW COURT CROWNED… Watervliet’s 2018 Snow Court was crowned Sunday at Arclight Brewery during the Hometown Christmas Celebration. Pictured are (from the left): Snow Prince 1st Runner-up Blake Robbins, 14; Snow Prince Aidan Bethea, 12; Snow Princess Amber Robbins, 11; and Snow Princess 1st Runner-up Olivia Camp, 11. All four attend Watervliet Middle School.

The final event of the celebration will be the residential Christmas light decorating contest. City and township residents have until December 15 to get their entries submitted. Visit the Watervliet’s Best Lighted House Contest 2018 Facebook page for additional information and instructions. Although the snow had melted and raindrops, rather than snowflakes, fell from the sky, a great time was held last weekend as Watervliet welcomed Santa to town.