| Dec 15, 2005


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December 15, 2005

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Gray MerriamLegaleseGeneral information and opinion on legal topics by Rural Legal ServicesNature Reflectionsby Jean GriffinNight Skiesby Leo Enright

2005 Festival of the Treesby Dale Ham

The 2005 Festival of Trees has once again closed its doors on a very successful Christmas community event. This festival raises money for the ongoing work of Villages Beautiful and for the local Food Bank. There is no charge for admittance, but individuals are asked for a contribution of canned goods or cash to support the local Food Bank. The elves were kept busy running with the many gifts of food that festival visitors donated.

Under the leadership of Rosemarie Bowick (whose best elf is hubby Bill), the festival is engineered by the Villages Beautiful committee whose members come from all areas of Central Frontenac. They work tirelessly to pull together some 90 individuals who also contribute to the festival's success. The committee members should be mentioned for their efforts, both at festival time and for doing what they do best: making our villages beautiful! They are, along with Rosemarie: Elinore Bailey, Mardi Brown, Chris Campsall, Doris Campsall, Mary Chiarot, Barb England, Janet Gutowski, Annette Jackson, Anita Landry, Pearl Robinson, Marion Ratzinger, and Joan Wyatt.

The major contribution to the success of the festival is the 60 some businesses in the area, large and small, who donate entries, either through purchasing a tree and decorating it, contributing some other entry, or donating money.

Further, entertainment throughout the three days of the festival sets a festive atmosphere. Participating individuals were: Bill Miles, Shari Tallon, Melissa Tallon, Surah Field-Green, Lindsay Fox, Amelia Redmond, Jos Tanner, Barb Agnew, Dwain Scudder, and Jim Duthie. Groups were the Maberly Connection, Young Choristers, Country Church, Blue Skies Fiddle Orchestra, the Arden Glee Club and the Ardenaires.

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Students from elementary schools--Clarendon, Sharbot Lake Public, and St. James Major--participated by entering various types of artwork. Parents and grandparents were seen admiring these pieces that decorated the walls 'round the stage.

And finally, the public makes it all happen through their attendance. People from all walks of life, and all areas of the township, were seen chatting together, enjoying the festive atmosphere, and perhaps secretly hoping to gain a favourite item in the draws that toll the end of the festival on Saturday afternoon. The following are the festival winners:

7.5' Trees: First prize tree donated by Harvey's ValuMart "Ho! Ho! Ho!" went home to the family of Hayden McVeigh. The second prize entry of LDR - WA Robinson & Associates "Sugar & Spice" went home with Karen Campbell.

6' Trees: First prize Land o' Lakes Communication Network's "One World" went home with Jan MacPherson; second prize entry Sharbot Lake Seniors Home "Christmas at the Zoo" was won by Ilona Cox and third, decorated by Northern Frontenac Community Services, "A Family Christmas" went home with Danny Warren; this entry also won the "Peoples' Choice Award", a division determined by the number of tickets accumulated. The fourth entry decorated in this category, by North Frontenac Little Theatre, "A Dickens Christmas", went home with George Campsall, and the Royal Bank of Canada entry "Angel Lights" went to Morelle.

4' Trees: First prize tree, decorated by School on the Hill - Trillium Hill Centre's "Blossoms of Snow" was won by Anita Landry; second prize by Sunsets at the Beach "Culinary Christmas" went to Chris Henderson and third prize tree, Tip Top Dollar Shop's "Tweet Christmas" to Heather Fox. The Red Hat Ladies' "Christmas in Red & Purple" - Reta Bush; Parham Happy Travellers' "Silver Threads Among the Gold"- D. Campbell; Treasure Trunk's "Tiny Treasures" - Helen Hawley; Fall River Pub & Grill's "Seeing is Believing"- Jordan Thompson; Arden Seniors' "Silver Bells"- Evelyn Izzard; Ivy Leaf Rebekah Lodge #335 tree, "The Dove of Peace Tree"- Kate Brown; The Rising Bun & Tea Room's "A Christmas Tea"- Joanne McGurn; the Royal Canadian Legion #425 tree "Silver Boughs"- Donna Fox; and Cottage Country Landscape & Design's "Cottage Country Christmas"- Artie Cota.

Gingerbread Houses: First prize entered by Amelia Redmond, "Snoopy's Christmas", was taken home by Martina Field; 2nd by Wanda Putnam, "Thinking of our Vets at Christmas" went to Brenda Garrett; and 3rd by Northern Connections & Adult Learning Centre, "Christmas on the Farm, went to T. Ferguson. Ilona Cox's "Room with a View" went to Rebecca Sproule, and Rockhill B&B's "An English Christmas" went to G. Bailey.

Wreaths and Wall Hangings: Heading this category with first prize was Ann Howitt's "We're Home", which was won by Gerry Watkins; 2nd place by Christine Campsall, "Songs of Christmas" went to Lauretta Barker; and 3rd, Shades of Delight entry "Visons of Sugarplums" to Gail Lewis. Gray's Groceries "Snowman Wreath"- Wanda Benn; Rachel St. Denis' "Christmas Trinkle"- Nina Jenkins; Sharbot Lake Post Office's "Letters to Santa"- Audrey Cook; Sharbot Lake Country Inn's "Sleigh Bells Ring"- Sharon MacDonald;

Arden TOPS' "Frosty"- Janet Meldrum; Community Living North Frontenac's "Run, Run, Rudolph"- Morelle;

Lorraine Pickett's "Celtic Christmas Tree"- T. Christenson; Cameron Chiarot's "Antlers"- Dawn Gillam; Arden Batik's "Christmas Batik"- Candice Bedard; and Loretta Barker's "Four Seasons"- Dora Scott.

Anything goes (Wooden Crafts): First prize entry by Roger McMunn & Sons, "Willkommen Sankt Nikelas" went home with Debbie Deline; 2nd by the Wood Entry Workshop, "Cardinals in the Holly"- N. Burke; and 3rd, Northern Connections & Adult Learning Centre's "Frosty & Friends"- Marie Vinkle. Jeff Whan's "Yule Dog"- Sofoa Ratzinger.

Anything Goes - Really Anything! First prize Clip It Hair Salon's "Circle of Serenity" to Debbie Deline; 2nd prize entry by Sharbot Lake TOPS "The Littlest Tree"- Evelyn Izzard; and 3rd prize entry, Weekender's "Pampering Mrs. Claus"- Snady Hallam. Gloria McKinstry's "Three Wisemen"- Martin Walsh; Sharbot Lake High School's "Treasure of Toys"- Sherry Wylie; Interior Zone's "For Santa's Guest"- D. MacDonald; Lakeside B&B's "Village Snowman"- Sharon Meeks; Wine Plus's "Rosemary Charmer"- Cindy Hannah; Christmas Steel's "Fruits of Christmas"- Tom Hopkins; North Frontenac Telephone's "Chocolate Lover's Christmas"- Lil St. Amour; Village Pallettes' "Waiting for Christmas"- Martin Walsh; Knowler Plumbing's "Hockey Night in Kingston"- Collin Hamilton; and Sharbot Lake Pharmacy's "Clock Symphony"- Mary Lu Slavin.

The complete Christmas dinner was won by Earl Agnew. These hampers, overflowing with tasty goodies, is put in by Villages Beautiful and is always very popular.

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