By Marilyn McNeil477-6925 donmar@lighthouse.net

Ho! Ho! Ho! We had some snow, and it certainly looks like winter is here. It also feels like it. The wind is out of the north, and bitter cold. Not my best time of the year; however, it had to come sooner or later.

This is the time of the year for "Hospice Tree of Lights." The celebrations are being held this month in Naubinway and Engadine Thursday, December 15, at 7 p.m. in front of First National Bank. Names of the many loved ones honored this holiday season will be read. Pastor Tim Miller will be leading the prayer Tuesday, December 6, at 6:30 p.m. around the tree in front of the Newberry High School Library. Pastor Norris will be leading the prayer and music will be provided by The Hopeful Gospel Quintet.

Tuesday, December 6, the Tree of Lights ceremony will take place in front of the Curtis Elementary School with Pastor Greg Carlson leading the prayer. Everyone is welcome to any of the ceremonies to illuminate a light in memory of your loved one(s) by making a donation to the R.P. Hicks Memorial Hospice. You can request as many lights as you like, and the amount of the donation is up to each individual. All donations are deductible and help to ensure the availability of hospice services to anyone who needs care in your area. The R.P. Hicks Memorial Hospice/LMAS District Health Department has been providing hospice services to our area for 25 years. They’re a nonprofit hospice service.

You can drop off your donation or mail it to: R.P. Hicks Memorial Hospice, 14150 Hamilton Lake Road, Newberry, Michigan 49868. Please make checks or money orders payable to the Hicks Hospice.

This is always a busy time of the year, with all of the craft sales and bazaars around; however, these places are great places to pick up that one (or more) "just a little bit different" gift for someone special. Their merchandise is often "one of a kind," something you’ve been looking for. The Engadine Naubinway Merchants Association is having its Christmas Bazaar Saturday, December 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Engadine High School Gymnasium. They will have something for everyone, crafts, art, and baked goods.

Christmas in Rapid River will be Saturday, December 3, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with craft sales, a quilt show, and sales from area businesses. Everyone is invited.

A Christmas Bazaar will be Saturday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Manistique Tribal Center on US-2, next to the casino. Refreshments will be served and everyone is welcome. There also will be a Kid's Table, with nothing more than $3, and they’re asking for small craft donations. For more information, call (906) 341-3362.

There will be a "Christmas from the Past" at the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse in Gulliver Saturday, December 3, and Sunday, December 4, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. There is no charge for this event. Come enjoy the gift shop, climb the tower, see weaving and spinning demonstrations Saturday, December 3. Santa Claus has wired ahead and let everyone know that he plans on stopping by to say hello around noon on the Doyle Township firetruck. There will be free gifts for the kids. They’re in need of donations of Christmas cookies for this event. Everyone is welcome to join them.

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Children's Christmas Party for tribal children and tribal employees’ children will be Saturday, December 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Manistique Tribal Community Center. Call to register your child at (906) 341-6993 by Thursday, December 1.

The Annual Christmas Bazaar at the Engadine Consolidated School will be Saturday, December 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. There will be crafts, art, and baked goods. There also will be a special visitor there–I heard a rumor that Santa will be paying a special visit to the school from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Boy, he just gets all over the place this time of the year. I could swear that I just saw him last week in Manistique.

Congratulations to the Junior Ice Dancing Team of Jane Summersett and Elliot Pennington, who earned a silver medal at the Eastern Sectional Figure Skating Championships in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, November 16, through Saturday, November 19. The pair have now advanced to the State Farm United States Figure Skating Championships to be held in St. Louis, Missouri, Sunday, January 8, through Sunday, January 15. The team received two Junior Grand Prix assignments earlier this fall, representing the United States in Tallin, Estonia, and Gdansk, Poland.

They’re one of three junior dance teams to earn medals for the U.S. in the Junior Grand Prix Series of Figure Skating this season. Ms. Summersett, granddaughter of Dr. Cecil G. Baker of Newberry and daughter of Newberry High School 1975 alumni Barbara (Baker) and Mark Summersett, is an honors student at Hudson High School in Hudson, Massachusetts. She has previously skated with the Marquette Figure Skating Club and Copper County Skating Academy and is a former skating student of Cheryl DePuydt, formerly of Houghton.

How wonderful it will be to be able to watch some skaters from our very own part of the country. We wish them lots of luck in the championships.

Congratulations to Missy Morrison of McMillan for being elected to the 2005-2006 executive board at the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association’s 66th Annual Fall Convention in Port Huron.

Happy birthday to Dawn Berry and Joselyn Fosdick December 1.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with their families, and now we prepare for Christmas.

Stay safe and stay well. See you all next week.