By Marilyn McNeil 477-6925 donmar@lighthouse.net

Hope the ghosts and goblins didn't get you the other night and that everyone had a safe and fun Halloween.

The Visitor Center and Wildlife Drive at the Seney National Wildlife Refuge closed for the winter Saturday, October 15. With volunteer help and support from the Seney Natural History Association, the refuge was able to provide the community with five special events, many outreach activities, and a staffed visitor center seven days a week. More than 50 individuals volunteered their time to enhance refuge projects and visitor experiences, help with species monitoring, and with maintenance and administrative duties.

In September the volunteers were invited to a catered dinner, where they were honored for their efforts, including Dee Phinney, who received the Volunteer of the Year Award, and Nancy and Hershel Couch, who received a Presidential Award for each giving more than 8,000 hours of volunteer time. We thank these volunteers for helping out and allowing the rest of us to be able to visit the center and tour the nature grounds.

A community choir is being assembled to perform Christmas concerts in the area under the direction of Pastor Greg Carlson of Curtis. Everyone is invited to join them. The musical they've selected is "Christmas Rhapsody" by Don Wyrtzen. It will be an hour-long program featuring fresh arrangements of traditional Christmas songs, along with several more recent worship selections. There will be music for children ages 5 to 13. Those older than 14 are welcome to be a part of the adult choir. Everyone is invited to come and join the choir.

Rehearsals are scheduled to begin Sunday, November 6, and continue for five consecutive Sundays, November 13, 20, 27, and December 4 and 11. There will be additional rehearsals as they progress. All participants will be expected to attend all rehearsals, which will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Wildwood Mennonite Church on Sandtown Road. For further information, call Greg or Lorelei Charson at (906) 386-9915 or e-mail gcarlson6@juno.com.

Newberry Motors will be a drop off site for a holiday donation drive for overseas troops. Keven Vanatta, of Newberry Motors, said that they "want to do their part to brighten the spirits of troops from Newberry or Michigan during the holiday season." People are encouraged to drop off items ranging from packs of gum and tuna salad kits to CDs and DVDs. For a complete list of needed items, visit www.operationgratitude.com. This effort should make it easier for every American across the nation to express thanks and gratitude for our troops' efforts.

Happy birthday to Michael Beckman November 4 and Sandy Weber November 8.

Stay safe and stay well. See you next week.