麻豆传媒AV

The RM of Glenside held a byelection for reeve on Dec. 4 at the R.M. office in Biggar. Kim Custer of Division 5 ran against Garry Hoppe from Division 3. Hoppe was elected, taking over from Wade Parkinson.

Division 3 is now in need of a new councillor to take Hoppe's place.

Sympathy to the Greer family, locally and of Dalmeny and Pike Lake, on the recent passing of James Greer of Pike Lake. The funeral was held in Saskatoon Nov. 30, with burial in Spinney Hill Cemetery.

James, 78, was born in the Spinney Hill area and moved with his parents to Elkhorn, Man. when he was a little boy. A few years later, James and his father Robert Greer came back to work for their uncle in the Sonningdale area.

He later married Marilyn Owen and lived in Saskatoon, moving later to Pike Lake where they raised a family of four children. James has two brothers, John and Donnie Greer in Calgary, Alta, a sister, Marie at Carman, Man. and another brother Norm Geer at Dalmony and Robert Greer of this area.

We are sorry to hear of the passing of Walter (Wally) Brookman, age 83, of North Battleford. Wally drove the Baljennie school bus, busing the children to Battleford schools for a few years. He was a good, kind-hearted driver.

Sympathy to all the Meredith and MaCabe families of Battleford and of the Willowmoore area on the passing of Madeline Meredith of the Battlefords Regional Care Centre. The funeral was held Dec. 14 at the Battleford United Church and burial at the Willowmoore Cemetery.

Madeline MaCabe and her four children came to the Willowmoore district to house keep for Bob Meredith and his mom and dad in 1970. After the parents passed away she married Bob in 1974 and had a daughter. They lost the old house to a fire in 1985, built a new house and lived there until they sold the farm and retired to Battleford where they bought a little house. Bob passed away in 2009, Madeline could not manage on her own and spent her last years at regional care until her passing. Madeline spent many days at Those Were the Days at the Western Development Museum volunteering. She ran the old time Roto Knitter built to knit socks. She had her own knitter, and got the old museum knitter cleaned up and running for a few years.

The whole area has been under a blast of arctic cold air for over two weeks or so, along with the winds, it has made it chilly. Some more snow has fallen for the winds to blow about.

The spirit of Christmas should not be confined to a single day, nor is it. All those who truly believe in "good will to men" honour it in their hearts and live it in their lives every day of the year. They cherish the continuing warmth of friendships, the ever new rebirth of the Babe, who lived to teach us peace and love. And though friends may be far away or seldom met, that too makes no difference. The steady flow of hope and good will continues to bind together those who put their trust in the power of loving kindness and in all that we mean by humanity.

The holiday season is a celebration of joy and peace and a time of family and friends. Even howling winds blowing snow and plummeting temperatures can't stop the lights from shinning during this festive season.

Christmas lights and decorations in Battleford and North Battleford have beckoned motorists, drawing a steady stream of admirers to the popular outdoors displays.

Many of the school students have smiles on their faces with the many Christmas concerts parties and the last day of school for 2013 is Dec. 20. Schools will reopen Jan. 6.

My husband Stanley and I wish to extend a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year's greeting to the News-Optimist/Regional Optimist staff, country correspondents, columnist and friends and to all the readers of Baljennie News.