|
Winter Wonderland celebration to be held this December 4 - 6
|
|
|
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Earlier this year it was announced that due to a lack of support or interest, Caledonia’s Winter Wonderland Parade and celebration would not take place this year. The ever-dwindling group of community-minded persons who volunteered copious hours of time to make the December community event a success cried “uncle.”
Fortunately, a new group of individuals have stepped forward and taken the bull by the horns. Winter Wonderland 2009 is currently being planned and will take place Dec. 4 - 6.
“We’re going to start out small this first year and walk before we run,” Caledonia Community Celebrations (CCC) president Sue Bauer explained last week. “We will have the Winter Wonderland Parade and sing-along Friday night, and will be working with other community groups and organizations to put on a nice event.
“We will not be having a queen coronation this year. Maybe down the road. But not this year. We’ve got too many things to get ready,” Bauer continued.
Bauer noted the most important issue is that the new group is a 501C3 organization and is eligible for various grants, including the Arlin Falk Foundation. And the nine-member board is made of up area residents from all walks of life, young and old, with many new and exciting ideas.
Bauer said the CCC board will be working with the Caledonia Area Chamber of Commerce, the Balloon Rally Committee, the Lions Club, the Houston County Historical Society, the area quilting club, the Caledonia Rotary Club, and anyone else who would like to participate in the winter celebration.
“To put on a good celebration, you need many different groups all doing their own things. Then, there’s not such a burden on one group of people,” Bauer pointed out.
While all the details haven’t been ironed out, the tentative schedule for the weekend includes:
• Friday- The quilt show at Immanuel Lutheran Church, the Rotary Soup Supper, the Winter Wonderland Parade and the sing-along with Santa.
• Saturday- The Lion’s Breakfast with Santa, the morning launch of the Balloon Rally, the Houston County Historical Society’s Old Fashioned Christmas, the quilt show, the craft fair at St. John’s School and the afternoon balloon launch.
• Sunday- The third balloon launch and the Houston County Historical Society’s Old Fashioned Christmas.
“There may be a few more things added to the weekend,” Bauer said. “If there are other persons or organizations out there who would like to add to this, they need to contact us. Our contact location is the Caledonia Chamber of Commerce’s office in downtown Caledonia.”
Bauer said the group is planning a Christmas lighting contest, which will take place later in December and also some type of fund-raising event later in the winter.
“We’re also talking about some type of community celebration for next summer,” she added. “But first, we’re going to see how this goes,” she stated, referring to the Dec. 4 - 6 celebration.
Members of the CCC board include Bauer, Chelsey Lager- vice president, Jackie Johnson- secretary, Tony Jones- treasurer and board members Mitch Luttchens, Lori Thillen, Barbara Huning, Kelly Meyer and Eric Halverson.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
