- WEATHER -
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Thanksgiving 2019
Click Here for why Thanksgiving is so late in 2019 and a bit of history compliments of the Old Farmer's Almanac
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- IN THE MAIL -
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- AROUND TOWN -
A mild entrance into Thanksgiving Week! Let's hope it holds off for the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.
While there are plenty of homes ready and decorated with in Thanksgiving, autumnal theme, with the Parade of Lights right on it's heels on Friday many homes and businesses are taking advantage of the nice weather and timing to prepare.
Friday night, the Annual Parade of Lights kicks off at 6:30 pm per usual with Santa in the Firehouse afterwards. New this year, the Holiday Hop provides the opportunity to stroll along Main Street and enjoy our local businesses and artisans from 5 - 7:30 pm. Plus they're raffling off a Gift Basket worth over $200 including
*$100 from Waterville First
*Gift card to Merri-Rose Florist*Gift card to Morgan's Hardware*Basket filled with local goods from Morgan's Hardware*$50 Amazon gift card from Kane Financial*Historical Society cookbooks and hop mugs*Frangelico Liquor from Main Street Liquors*Fused glass tree by Connie VickiOther items will be added by local artisans next week!
The Waterville Area Food Pantry will also draw their raffle that has been ongoing since Cruisin' Into Waterville to see who the winner of the Dodge Challenger! If you haven't purchased your tickets (which benefit the Pantry whether you win or lose), now is the time!
The Sanger Lodge Christmas Tree Sale is prepped!
With a tree ready to go in the Bandstand, as well as a lovely one in front of the temple.
Businesses along Main Street clearly have been bustling to do their part.
Our compliments to those who thought to fill these former store fronts as well.
We hope you enjoy a Happy Thanksgiving and a Wonderful Parade of Lights!
No Blog Post on Wednesday, so we will leave you with...
No Blog Post on Wednesday, so we will leave you with...
The Special History of the Parade of Lights:
from the Original Waterville Blog "At Home in the Huddle" by P.S. Brown
If you lived in Waterville in 1988, you cannot have forgotten the first Parade of Lights! (And if you've come to the village since then, you should know the story of this celebration because it is something very special, here: it's a celebration not just of the season but a Celebration of Community - Our Community!)
It was earlier that year that both Rusty Manion and his wife Kitty passed away. Their daughters Darcey and Laurie, and three sons - Sandy, Jeffrey and Michael - were bereft with the loss of both parents and, at the same time, completely overwhelmed with the kindnesses shown them by everyone in the community. One day, Darcey was having coffee with her friends Linda Nichols and Patsy Hill and she said, "I wish there was something we could do to say 'Thank You!' to everyone!" "Thank You notes," she said, "seemed just too inadequate." It occurred to them that perhaps they could do something that hadn't been done in several years - a fun surprise for the village: they could arrange to have lights put on the Big Tree at the point of Monument Park and have it lit! And there would be a parade - fire engines and floats and children all carrying flashlights! - that would lead the way to the tree when the lights were finally to be turned on! And each of the girls told one or two people who told one or two more and in six weeks' time - in an unanticipated avalanche of generosity and cooperation, $5,000 was raised; the Clinton Fire Department's ladder truck came to string the lights, the power company donated equipment and time, the Municipality chipped in, fire companies in all the neighboring communities sent units to be in the parade and ........... well........ the rest is history.The floats became more imaginative and brighter. When it was deemed impossible to have the high school band march and play (sometimes it's been so cold and stormy that just the thought of putting a flute or trumpet mouthpiece to one's lips caused pain!) the floats were actually wired for sound!