Back to HomeChristmas Edition - December 17, 2009Christmas 2009

Art Contest

A Christmas Messageby Debbie Pelley-Hudson

Christmas Traditions in Ireland

Country Christmasby Kelly Calthorpe

Early Literacy: Opening More than Presents

Local Music to Stuff Your Stockings with

Recipes

The Brightest Star

The Christmas Quiltby Kelly Calthorpe

The Christmas Giftby Pastor Ken Walton

Christmas Recipes

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Baked Beans Cake

Christmas Meatballs

Speck & Sauerkraut

Apple Cranberry Crisp By Marilyn Meeks 8 apples, sliced 1 cup cranberries ½ cup flour ½ cup rolled oats ½ cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon ½ cup butter or margarine

Put apples in buttered 9 x 11 baking dish, along with the cranberries. Stir flour, oatmeal, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Work butter into flour mixture until pea size. Sprinkle mixture over fruit. Bake 350oF until topping is set and golden brown. May cover with aluminium foil while baking.

Baked Beans Cake Submitted by Jean Lewis

1 cup raisins 1 cup boiling water 1 19-oz can baked beans (2-1/2 cups) 3 eggs 1 cup canola oil 2 cups granulated sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 1 tsp vanilla

Pour boiling water over raisins. Set aside. Mash beans with a fork. Add eggs, oil, and sugar. Beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder cinnamon and salt. Stir into bean mixture. Drain raisins, reserving liquid. Add raisins, chopped nuts, and vanilla to batter. If batter is too thick, add a little of the raisin water, stirring to combine. Pour into greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350o for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a rack.

Coconut Icing:

1 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup cream or milk 1/3 cup butter 1 cup shredded coconut 1 tsp vanilla ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine sugar and cream. Bring to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes. Add butter, remove from heat. Stir in coconut, vanilla, and nuts. Pour evenly over cake and allow to cool before cutting.

Christmas Meatballs By Marilyn Meeks

Mix the following:

1 lb ground beef 1 tsp. Salt, pepper ¼ cup onion chopped 1 tbsp. Parsley ¼ cup chili sauce 1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce ¼ cup carnation milk * (I used 2% milk) ½ cup crushed cornflakes

Preheat oven to 350oF

Make meatballs small. Put them in greased cake pan. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake meatballs until brown. Serve with barbecue sauce.

Speck (bacon) and Sauerkraut Submitted by Suzanne Tanner,  A Swiss Tanner family traditionRaw sauerkraut Smoked bacon Smoked sausages Raw, unpeeled potatoes, cut in half 1 large onion 10 cloves 6 dried juniper berries Bay leaf 1 can beer 2 cloves garlic, crushed some whole peppercorns 1 cored apple, unpeeled, cut into segments 1 cup sweet apple juice 1 litre bouillon (from veggie or beef cubes,dissolved) A few tbsps. vegetable oil

Go to a European-type food store where they carry raw sauerkraut and smoked bacon/sausages. Buy a good kilo of kraut. Wash it in cold water (at home, I'd suggest) then squeeze all the juice out of it. Heat oil in a large pan. Peel onion and stick about 10 cloves into it. Fry it on high heat until it gets a bit brownish (2 minutes or so). Add the kraut and let it heat up, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Add bay leaf and juniper berries. After about 4 minutes pour beer over it and stir gently. Add garlic, peppercorns, apple and apple juice. Put the heat way down below medium and add ¾ litre bouillon. The liquid should just about cover the kraut. Keep some bouillon to be added later; you'll need it. Stir and put a lid on the pot. Let simmer 2 hours stirring every 30 mins or so.Now it's time to put in the smoked bacon (not the sausages). Let it simmer at least an hour then remove it from the pot. Add the potatoes to the kraut. Close the lid and let them cook about 30 min or until done. Remove potatoes and add sausages (any will do as long as they're smoked or cooked) and put bacon back in too (20 minutes maybe). The rind of the bacon should become soft and almost edible.Always ensure you've got plenty of liquid in the kraut. It should simmer, not boil violently.Now it's time to fill the plates and eat. The kraut is now well cooked and tasty. It has simmered at least 4 ½ hrs. Mustard is good with the meats and beer or white wine will be just what's needed to wash it all down.It's a simple dish to make and can be eaten even days later. En Guete!

Back to HomeChristmas Edition - December 17, 2009Christmas 2009

Art Contest

A Christmas Messageby Debbie Pelley-Hudson

Christmas Traditions in Ireland

Country Christmasby Kelly Calthorpe

Early Literacy: Opening More than Presents

Local Music to Stuff Your Stockings with

Recipes

The Brightest Star

The Christmas Quiltby Kelly Calthorpe

The Christmas Giftby Pastor Ken Walton

Christmas Art Contest

Once again we had a large number of entries, making judging very difficult. We’re pleased to share the children’s drawings with you and hope to rekindle the memories of magic and wonderment of Christmas’ past.

May you always remember the true spirit of Christmas, one of sharing and love of family and friends.

We put the paper to rest for another year, and thank you, our readers and advertisers for your support. Our first edition of the new year will be January 7.

Overall

Overall Winner, Anya Tully, 9Ages 4-5

Left: 1st place, Katie Tryon, 5

Above right: 2nd place Ben Baillargeon, 4

Below left: 3rd place  Amica Levesque, 5

Ages 6-7

Top Left: 1st place, Teagan Cox, 7

Above: 2nd place Julia Gray, 7

Left: 3rd place Jessica Wedden, 7

Ages 8-10

Left: 1st place Ainsley MacDonald, 10

Above: 2nd place, Jenna Moritz, 9

Below left: 3rd place Cailey Cotnam, 8

Ages 11 & Over

Above Left: 1st place, Jordan Young, 15

Above right: 2nd place,Brittany Mary-Lynn Campbell, 11

Left: 3rd place, Riley Teal, 11

You won’t want to miss “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”, written by Barbara Robinson, being presented next weekend by the North Frontenac Little Theatre.

If you were ever in a Christmas pageant as a child, forced to wear your father's bathrobe as a shepherd, stood around with angel wings and a halo, or were the lucky ones who got to play Mary and Joseph, you'll enjoy this play. If you directed a Sunday school pageant, taught Sunday school or worked with children, you'll want to see this play. People of all ages who like to laugh will want to see this play and some more sensitive types may even find themselves shedding a tear near the end. This delightful story takes a comical yet poignant look at a church congregation putting on what is anything but a typical pageant!

Perennial pageant director Mrs. Armstrong breaks her leg and someone needs to take over the pageant this year. Reluctantly giving in to the pressures of the church ladies, young mother and wife Grace Bradley agrees to take the pageant on. Grace (played by Janet Revell of Verona) is not aware that Mrs. Armstrong (Martina Field) does not intend to relinquish control of the casting, nor is she aware of, let alone ready for, the infamous HERDMAN FAMILY!

The Herdman children are a street-wise family of six young thugs who apparently have no parents or curfew. They are led by 12-year-old, cigar smoking Imogene, (Kelsea Babcock). When they learn that there is free food and drinks at Sunday school, Imogene and her siblings take over the pageant. The Herdman boys think that a hit should be put out on King Herod and wonder why they were going to pay their taxes in a hotel anyway!

Grace Bradley sets out on a mission, with husband Bob (Barry Harding), not only to teach the Herdmans the story of Christmas, but allow for the whole congregation to revisit the true meaning of the story and by doing so. make this "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!" You'll agree that it is when young Gladys Herdman (Violet Skuce) shoves her fist at you and bellows out, "Hey you, a child was born, now git in there and see him!"

The cast of over 36 children and 10 adults comes from Verona to MacDonalds Corners, Sharbot Lake to Clarendon and Arden. It includes a gossipy group of church ladies played by Sandy Robertson, Angela Sproule, Cathy Ryan and Samantha Lusk; the Reverend Hopkins by Leslie Pickard; and the Herdman boys by Cody Steeves, Devon Clarke and Johnny Skuce.

Strong performances come from Dayna Stone as Alice, Joelle Parr as Beth Bradley, Cody Matson playing Charlie Bradley and Sydney Teal as Maxine. The whole show is narrated by Kaitlyn Hannah. There are children in a choir, angels and even a sheep!

Tickets are selling fast, so don't miss what will be an enjoyable start to this Christmas season.

The show runs December 3 through 6 at Sharbot Lake High School. Check out our season at nflt.ca.

 

As rehearsals for NFLT’s production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” head into their final weeks, “things are coming together beautifully,” according to stage manager Karin Reynold.  

The six shepherds are experimenting with their crooks, the boy playing the lamb has learned to go “b-aa” loudly, and the baby angels are practicing Christmas carols.

White sheets and bathrobes are being transformed into costumes for angels, shepherds and wise men by a hard-working backstage crew. At first glance, these could be rehearsals for any Christmas pageant from the past hundred years.

But this Christmas Pageant, adapted from a beloved children’s book by Barbara Robinson, has a twist or two. For instance, one of the wise men is carrying an unusual gift.

In addition, many of the children acting in the pageant are encouraged by director Sarah Hale to be on their worst behaviour! It is hoped that by performance time they won’t forget how to be bad, because after all, they are very good kids in real life. They’ve worked hard to learn their lines and movements on and off the stage. It’s a big commitment of time and energy, especially this year when so many families have been down with colds and flu. Just in case - important characters, from Mary and Joseph to little Gladys Herdman, the terror of the town, have understudies. For many young actors, that means learning two parts.

One thing is certain; if “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is as lively as the rehearsals, it’s a treat not to be missed on the first weekend in December, the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th!

According to Producer Craig Godfrey, the upcoming production by North Frontenac Little Theatre is actually a play based on the popular short story by Barbara Robinson.

The comedy, which has a play within the play, follows the small town church group as they try to prepare for their Christmas Pageant.

When the perennial director of the local pageant breaks her leg, the church ladies panic to save the pageant. They find a willing director in one of the moms, Grace Bradley. Grace thinks it should be a nice pleasant experience but she didn’t count on two problems.

Mrs. Armstrong still wants to control everything from her hospital bed, driving Grace mad with phone calls, but that is the least of her problems.

Grace had never heard of “The Herdmans”. When word gets out that there’s free food and drinks at Sunday school rehearsals, the six, apparently parentless hooligans show up and take over the auditions.

Grace’s daughter Beth describes the Herdman Kids as a wild pack. She also says, “The Herdmans tore through the local school like those South American fish that tear the flesh of your bones.”

For a while chaos reins, but Grace sets her mind to make this year’s pageant “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”!

With 10 adults and 20 children and teens, you won’t want to miss a moment of the fun. There really is a little pageant at the end!

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever will run the weekend of December 3 through 6th in Sharbot Lake High School’s auditorium.

On December 8 it did not take long for the 24 figurines of the baby Jesus that Tony Vella made and brought with him to the Nativity Sunday display and celebration at Saint Patrick's Church in Railton to disappear into eager, waiting young hands. Vella, who hails from Malta, moved to Kingston with his wife Connie nine years ago, and his passion for creating nativities - a passion that began when he was just a young boy in Malta - continues to inspire and motivate him. Vella has a personal collection of over 300 nativity scenes of his own and he also makes and designs his own nativities, many of which he gifts to churches in the area.

This year Vella was also invited to design a student Keepsake Nativity Kit Project for the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, which students assemble and paint themselves. The kit includes simple wood cutouts and paper patterns that the children are invited to assemble either at school or at home with a family member. They are invited to decorate the scene as they like and can either keep it for themselves or give it as gift. Vella hopes to bring an expanded version of the project to high school students as well. To date, the project has been brought to over 600 students in nine schools across the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board.

Vella learned how to make nativities as a youngster from his uncle in Malta. He is a former contractor who is now retired, and he still spends hours restoring, collecting and working on his collection. This year a selection from his own personal collection was shown to the public for the first time at the Salvation Army's Kingston Citadel. One of his most prized scenes is one that he began building and assembling in 1967, and on which he still works to this day.

Vella, who is soft spoken with a warm smile and a twinkle in his eye, obviously believes that offering up his talents as a builder and his passion as a Catholic is one way that he can serve his community. And judging by the speed that his small baby Jesus tokens were taken up by the youngsters at St. Patrick's in Railton, his passions are not going unnoticed.

Photo-2136- master nativity scene maker Tony Vella at Saint Patrick's Catholic church in Railton

Susan Ramsay, Early Literacy Specialist HFL&A, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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My cell phone vibrates. I glance at the message. “running late. will text u when leaving.” My thumbs leap into action. “ok great tks.” If this spelling and grammar were in an email, report, or funding proposal, my colleague and I would both be out of a job. In the context of thumb typing, however, text messaging is built for speed using short forms, phonetic spellings, and sparing use of capitals and punctuation.

The form of text creates unspoken meaning. A table of contents in a reference book, for example, listing number 3 beside ‘Canadian Animals’ directs the reader to page 3 for information about Canadian animals. Similarly, a hand-written note beginning with “Dear Santa” creates an expectation that an important letter will soon be mailed to an H0H 0H0 postal code.

Exposure to varied forms of text helps children develop reading comprehension skills. Adults support children’s learning by asking thought-provoking questions that guide their knowledge of meaning conveyed by the way print is formatted.

Books stores and libraries are filled with seasonal books that expose children to various forms of text.

“Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Christmas” by Melanie Watt uses pictures and words in charts, tables, checklists, numbered instructions, and labelled diagrams to explain the coping strategies of a timid squirrel getting ready for Christmas. This humorous book is perfect for pausing during story time to ask questions that cause children to compare and contrast ideas, and to think about what the words mean when not written in sentences. On one two-page spread, for example, Scaredy Squirrel lists things he should NOT use for Christmas decorations. His list, categorized into a table of red and green items, includes fire hydrants, dynamite, poison ivy, and bull frogs. Help children understand tables by asking why they think Scaredy included those items in the chart and to think of other things they would add to Scaredy Squirrel’s list of unwanted decorations.

“Twelve Days of Christmas” is a song many children hear in shopping malls and elsewhere during the holiday season. “A Porcupine in a Pine Tree: A Canadian 12 Days of Christmas” by Helaine Becker is a children’s picture book modelled on this familiar song. This children’s picture book is really a numbered list that can be read or sung. It’s a great book for developing memory skills if children try to recall which crazy items are given on days 1 through 12. When children are able to say, sing or draw their suggestions for what ‘my true love’ might give on day 13 and beyond, you will know that they understand how a numbered list works as well as the pattern of quantity used to tell the story.

“The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Drywalt tells a story through a series of letters from individual crayons to a child artist. Each crayon has an emotional story to tell beginning with the red crayon that feels overworked drawing Santa, Valentine hearts, and fire engines. Each letter demonstrates a personal perspective. Children will relate to the emotions expressed by the crayons, and can be encouraged to talk about when they too have experienced similar feelings. They may also like help to write letters back to the crayons demonstrating their awareness that letters have a specific form and letters invite a response from the reader.

Fairy tales, information books, picture dictionaries and children’s magazines are all formatted in unique ways. Exposure to varying forms of print can help children understand and love the books you share with them this holiday season. 

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Susan Ramsay is the Early Literacy Specialist for Hastings, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington. You can contact her at 613-354-6318 (ext 32) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Over the years we have looked briefly at Christmas traditions and foods from many countries that are familiar to many Canadians, including France, Italy, the Ukraine, and others.

This year we looked to South America, and settled on Uruguay, whose capital Montevideo is a city of 1.35 million located across the Rio de la Plata and northeast from Buenos Aires, the Capital of Argentina.

Uruguay has a lower profile than its neighbours Argentina and Chile, but like many others it is a soccer-mad nation, and was the host and winner of the first ever world cup in 1930.

Political strife dogged Uruguay throughout much of the 20th Century, but in recent years it has become renowned for the lifestyle of its current president, Jose Mujica, who is known as the poorest president in the world. When elected in 2009 he turned the presidential palace over to the poor and has lived in his own small farmhouse ever since. He was jailed for 10 years, including spending two years in solitary confinement at the bottom of a well in the 1970s for his Marxist-related activities. As president, he has taken what can be called a liberal pragmatic approach, and remains a popular leader at the age of 78. In recent days, Mujica has made headlines across the world when the Uruguayan senate passed a law to create a government-controlled marijuana market for local residents but not foreign tourists.

Picture postcards of snow-covered sleighs and Santa Claus don't fit that well in Uruguay. For one thing, snow is unheard of, and for another Christmas takes place at the beginning of summer. There is no school holiday for Christmas because it takes place during summer holidays. But some of the worldwide traditions find their own particular expression in Uruguay. The main Christmas meal is on Christmas Eve, and it is followed at midnight with large fireworks displays, which make it seem at times more similar to Canada Day than Christmas in Canada.

The story is that, also at midnight, Christmas presents are simultaneously delivered to all children in the country, and the tradition of fireworks arose partly as a diversion, to pull the children away from the house to clear the way for a clandestine delivery of toys.

Again, similar to Canada Day, the Christmas Eve meal is often a barbeque. However, in place of burgers and hot dogs, a Uruguayan barbeque pit or Asado can accommodate diverse cuts of meat, as well as sausages. Beef is the major Uruguayan export, and grilled beef is eaten often and in large amounts.

At Christmas, however, it is also common for a roast suckling pig to be prepared and served. While salads and grilled vegetables are served as well, vegetarians should not expect an easy time at a Uruguayan Christmas feast; unless, that is, they eat dairy and enjoy desserts, particularly desserts that make use of Dolce de Leche. Among popular Urugayan Christmas desserts are Alfajores, cookie sandwiches with Dolce de Leche filling, Mil Hojas de Manjar (Caramel Dulce de Leche Napoleans) and Budin de Banane con Corazon de Dolce de Leche (Banana pudding cake with a Dolce de Leche heart)

While many of the Christmas recipes in Uruguay are local versions of recipes that are commonly eaten in many neighbouring countries, Uruguay is famous for its Chivitos, served year round, but also at Christmas time. Chivitos are essentially steak-based sandwiches. Served on a large, soft bun, they can include a thin layer or two of steak, bacon, ham, egg, tomatoes and lettuce and a number of other toppings.

Dolce de Leche.

Ingredient

1 or 2 can condensed milk

Dolce de Leche is caramelized condensed milk. It can be made in the can itself, by punching holes in the top of the can and simmering it in a water bath on an electric stove for 3 to 4 hours. Alternatively the condensed milk can be poured into a sauce pan and cooked over medium low heat, stirring constantly until it turns creamy and brown. The easiest way is in a double boiler, where the condensed milk can be left cooking undisturbed for 60 to 90 minutes until it is brown. Ready-made Dolce de Leche is also available in grocery stores.

Alfajores

1 cup cornstarch 
3/4 cup all-purpose flour 
1 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp baking soda 
1/4 tsp salt 
1/2 cup room temperature butter 
1/3 cup sugar 
2 egg yolks 
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
15 oz Dolce de Leche 
flour for dusting

Sift together the first 5 ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and while mixing gradually add the corn starch, flour, salt, baking powder and soda and mix together until it holds together as a dough. (The above can be done by hand or with a mixer)

Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and wrap it tightly. Cool the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350. Unwrap the dough and place on a floured work surface. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Dough may crack but can be easily patched back together. Cut out to 20 to 24 rounds with a 2 inch round cookie cutter, reshaping the dough as necessary until it is all gone. Place the dough on cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment or wax paper. Cook 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Spoon 1 tablespoon Dulce de Leche on one cookie and cover with a second to make a sandwich. Makes 10 -12 Alfajores

Banana pudding cake filled with Dolce de Leche

1/2 cup butter 
3/4 cup sugar 
2 eggs 
1 cup ripe Bananas 
scant cup all purpose flour 
1/2 tsp.Cinnamon 
1 tsp baking powder 
1 cup Dulce de Leche 
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and set aside. In a small bowl, mash the bananas. In a larger bowl, cream butter and sugar, and add eggs. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, mashed bananas and walnuts, Pour 1/2 the batter into a greased 9 inch loaf pan, pour Dolce de Leche on top and then pour the other 1/2 of the batter over the Dolce de Leche. Cook 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Editorial by Jeff Green

Normally I thank our staff, readers, and advertisers on this, our last issue of 2013, and I would like to do so this year as well.

As I look back on the stories we covered this past year, a few stories, it seems to me, have been left hanging. The saga of Frontenac County Council is one of them.

On one hand, the politicians recognise that the townships need to work together, but on the other there is resistance to giving the county any role in bringing that about. We have an article on an organizational review that was just presented to county council, which explicitly points to this dilemma.

One item that was not part of the report's recommendations but was in the narrative, refers to something I have thought about in the past but have never seen anyone take up. It says the County should consider selling or renting out its current office space adjacent to Fairmount Home in rural Kingston and coming home to the county by building a new office. If the county used some of its reserves to build an office, perhaps in Verona, it might change everything.

Other stories this year were more serious than the sometimes comical shenaningans at Frontenac County.

It has been five months since a troubled man was killed by police on the Arden Road in late July, and the Special Investigations Unit has yet to file a report. Other cases that took place at around the same time have been cleared up by the SIU and we await the report in this case.

Finally, in October, 500 members of the Shabot Obaadjiwan received form letters informing them that they are no longer electors for the Algonquin Land Claim, and while they may have Aboriginal heritage, there is not credible evidence they are descended from Algonquins.

These people are descendants of Francis and Mary Sharbot, the founders of Sharbot Lake. Until the land claim came along, the Sharbots had been considered as Mohawks, but they were recruited by the Algonquin Land Claim and their Algonquin status was verified by the same genealogist who now says they are not Algonquin.

There will be more to this story coming up as the Shabot Obaadjiwan seek to bring two-thirds of their members back into the land claim fold. I can’t help but think that this entire episode is reminiscent of how Canadian governments stole the identities of Aboriginal peoples in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Restoring identity and dignity is one of the major goals of the land claims process, but in the case of families like the the Badours. Hollywoods, and Cotas, the opposite is taking place. The only scant comfort in this lies in the fact that these families are resilient, and they will certainly persevere.

Happy Christmas.

Members of the Verona Community Association (VCA) decided to change up their traditional Christmas activities this year. Wayne Conway, director with the VCA, said the change came about because the usual PA Day in November was moved this year to December, which meant that the free skate that usually precedes the annual tree lighting at McMullen Park would not take place. Also, the tree at McMullen Park was getting increasingly damaged from the Christmas lights. So VCA members decided to move the festivities to the Verona Lions Hall on Sand Road and make the event a day-long and evening event for the whole family. Local community businesses and individuals were invited to decorate a number of Christmas trees and 11 trees were set up in the hall's outdoor pavilion. Guests were invited to vote on their favorites and prizes were given out to the top three winners. The 11 gorgeous trees were simultaneously lit up at 6:30 pm. Youngsters had a chance to ride the Verona toy train and roast marshmallows at an outdoor fire pit. Inside the hall they enjoyed a number of special Christmas crafts, games, snacks and beverages, plus visits with the very jolly Santa and Mrs. Claus. A free meal of chili and hot dogs was also provided. Later in the evening music lovers enjoyed local songsters Crooked Wood.

Like all changes it takes time for a new tradition to catch on but by noon on Saturday the parking lot was quickly filling up as carloads of youngsters arrived with parents and grandparents in tow to enjoy the free festivities. Conway said that the event so far seems to be catching on. “It's the first annual and we are seeing a lot of enthusiasm so far. The nice thing is that here there is a place for people to warm up inside, out of the cold.”

The mandate of the VCA is to beatify the town of Verona and make it a place where residents enjoy to live. “We hope to see this new tradition become a successful, long-time ongoing event.” Conway also brought up the fact that the Verona Cattail Festival, now in its fourth year, took a while to catch on but was never more successful than this summer.