By Jim Kinghorn
If you noticed the Silverton downtown showing a little more holiday spirit this year, it’s probably because the Silverton Chamber of Commerce put on a downtown window decorating contest. Taking home top honors were Silverton Coffee Station first, Lunaria Gallery second, and Edward Jones came in third. Honorable mentions went to Main Street Bistro, Whimsy Etc. and Re/Max Homesource but the real winners are all that participated and the townsfolk who get to enjoy a little more festive look to town this year…
All are invited to attend the sixth annual Advent Organ Recital featuring Christopher Wicks at the keys of the Grand Pipe Organ in the Mount Angel Abbey Church Dec. 20 at 3 p.m. If you’ve never heard Christopher perform, this is an event you don’t want to miss… A free will offering will be accepted
Three of the Four Freedoms murals are up and on display on the side of Seven Brides Brewing and the Silverton Mural Society needs your help. The group needs a mere $5,000 to complete the project and your donation of any amount would be greatly appreciated. Your cash or check can be deposited in any of the donation containers located around town, mailed to PO Box 880 or flag down Vince Till when you see him on the street…
Those warm hearted folks over at Columbia Bank are holding their “Warm Hearts Winter Drive” to supply local homeless shelters with new shoes, warm pants, long underwear, blankets, jackets, hats, socks, scarves, etc. They will also accept cash donations because, hey, they’re a bank, it’s what they do… For a little added fun (or groans), take your items to the branch but don’t give it to them until manager Ferren Taylor tells you a joke…
With all that is going on in our crazy world these days, ugly disagreements, road rage, bombings, shootings, the gawdaful political campaigns (and yes, it’s gawdawful on BOTH sides) add in work and family responsibilities and you’ve got the perfect recipe for the mid-December funk that The Man sometimes finds himself in. So last week, as I was rushing around in the car, doing all of the things that just had to be done, on the radio comes an interview with 10-year-old Elle Fischer from Silverton… Elle tells of her 10 surgeries at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, how great her doctors and nurses are, and how she has been selling lemonade and mistletoe to raise a $500 donation so the hospital can help care for other children that need its help…. Whoosh, in an instant, all the other “stuff,” the distractions of life, disappeared. Here was a little lady doing all she could to make the world a better place and succeeding. Most years there is a point, an epiphany of sorts, that brings me back to what really matters. This year sweet 10-year-old Elle, you were it and for that I thank you…
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone in our towns…
