By Dennis Gannon
There is that old saying about the weather, if you don’t like what you see, just wait 5 minutes and it will change. For the second year in a row in our community that certainly was the case for our Christmas in the Village events. On the Saturday night, we had gentle snow fall and some wind. When it came time for the tree lighting and the fireworks everything calmed down and the skies lit up with the beautifully adorned tree and the spectacular fireworks.
On Sunday morning we were greeted with rain and the roads were pretty bare. Just around noon the skies opened up with some light showers that ended quickly just in time for the parade. For the balance of the afternoon it was pleasant.
Christmas in the Village was a great success this year. On Saturday night a large number of people showed up for the activities. Hot dogs were served up by Stephanie, Dave, Roslyn and Shawn and bellies were filled. Delicious hot chocolate was made by Gord and Pat who along with Georgia, Callia and Allie made sure everyone enjoyed one along with the glow sticks that all the children received. Our community thanks Snow Valley Barrie for showing up with the SnoTube slide and team who created a tremendous fun experience for everyone who rode down it. Of course the evening would not have been a Christmas party if Santa Claus wasn’t there. The Springwater Fire and Emergency Services volunteer firefighters made arrangements for the jolly old elf to show up and he did, riding in a fire truck. Everyone who wanted a photo with Santa had an opportunity as lots of photos were taken. The evening concluded with a countdown to turn on the lights on the tree and ground displays and then fireworks lit up the night. Thanks to Gord and Lawrence for putting on a display that was exciting. A huge thanks goes to all who contributed and to the Wilson and Dunn families, Snow Valley Barrie, and McLaren Equipment for their continued support.
Sunday saw the community get together for the 27th annual Santa Claus parade. New and old participants gathered to make this an exciting experience. New this year was before the parade started off, Mayor Jennifer Coughlin, MP Doug Shipley and MPP Doug Downey checked out the entries and 3 new awards were presented. Barrie Dance Conservatory received the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer award. The Tantalo family and friends got the Naughty or Nice List award and the Caston kids were awarded the Elf of the Village award. All three groups proudly displayed their banner as they marched through the village.
Santa Claus and Mrs.Claus were the highlight of the parade watched by a large crowd spread throughout the community. At the end of the parade hot chocolate and cookies were available thanks to the Wilson’s with the assistance of Atthill boys. The Anten Mills Community Recreation Association thanks the Springwater Vespra Lions for their support for this event and to the OPP Auxiliary officers who provided assistance ensuring that the parade made it safely through the streets. Of course the volunteer firefighters who escorted Santa and Mrs. Claus deserves a special thank you for their dedication as they have been part of every Santa Claus parade since the beginning.
If you are thinking about next year, Christmas in the Village will take place on Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14 and in case you missed it, check out the CTV website as they featured the parade as part of their news coverage.
For the past several weekends and during the Christmas in the Village events the community was asked to help support the Elmvale and District Food Bank. The community response was very positive and following the parade a load of food was taken to the food bank. This past week a second full load was sent up and the Elmvale Food Bank was extremely appreciative of all the support. Thank you for considering others at this time of year and know that it is greatly appreciated.
Recently a deserving Anten Mills resident received a distinguished award, the King Charles III Coronation Medal. In recognition of his ascension to the throne, the medal was struck and first presented earlier this year on the one year anniversary of the coronation. Presented by MP Doug Shipley, the award recognizes the achievements and contributions this individual made for the benefit of all. For over thirty years Marjan Deller has contributed countless hours of service to both Hospice Simcoe and the RVH Auxiliary. Marjan is noted for her individual and collective fundraising to Hospice Simcoe every Spring which many in the community help support. Congratulations Marjan from the entire Anten Mills community.
It has been confirmed that on Christmas Eve, escorted by the volunteer firefighters of the Springwater Fire Department, Santa Claus will tour the streets of our community bringing Christmas wishes to all. The year that this tradition began has never been officially recognized but it definitely has been going on for more than 45 years. Families, friends and neighbors gather and wait for the arrival of Santa and his arrival can’t be missed as the fire trucks’ emergency lights light up the night along with their sirens. Usually Santa and the firefighters get to Anten Mills between 6 and 7PM and you can check the Anten Mills Community Bulletin Facebook page for updates.
That’s it for this week and for 2024. It is an honour to bring you the community news and a thanks to the editor and publisher for providing the space in this newspaper. The comments received through the year demonstrates that the column is welcomed and the required input to continue. It’s been just over 6 years since I submitted my first column and at 26 columns a year this should be about number 160. From my family to everyone, MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR and THANKS for READING, BE WELL and STAY SAFE.