The Citizen, 2008-12-24, Page 13Tradition plays a big part in East
Wawanosh Public School’s
principal, Wendy Armstrong-
Gibson’s house, and it has for some
time.
Armstrong-Gibson says she
doesn’t have a large extended family,
so in turn, her immediate family
became closer. Tradition was tightly-
woven into her family’s fabric and
stayed that way in the coming years.
“It was just us for many years, so
Christmas was a very sacred time for
us,” she said. “Every year we would
walk into the bush with my father to
cut down our Christmas tree and we
would always bake with my mother
around Christmas.”
One of the traditions Armstrong-
Gibson can vividly recall is the
sound of her mother’s sewing
machine. Every Christmas, she said,
she remembers her mother working
diligently, making clothes for
Armstrong-Gibson’s dolls, which
became a big part of her Christmas
for many years.
The family always attended
church on Christmas Eve, before
returning home to sleep before the
big day.
She can also recall her sneakier
side, waking up early, usually
around 3 a.m. with her three sisters
and one brother, to go through her
Christmas stocking.
In the morning she would open her
long-awaited gift from Santa. After
the wrapping paper from that gift hit
the floor, however, it was back to
work, heading out to the barn for themorning’s chores.Armstrong-Gibson’s parents, inaddition to developing strong familytraditions, also instilled strongcharitable traditions in their future
educator.
“My parents always made sure we
would give to charity every
Christmas. They really taught the
importance of giving as well as
receiving,” she says. “Furthermore,
everyone was taken care of around
Christmas. Anyone who made my
parents’ lives a little easier always
received Christmas cards.”
These are values that Armstrong-
Gibson has brought to her own home
now, keeping the mindset of giving
as well as receiving very much alive.
Now with four children, all of
whom are musically-talented,
Armstrong-Gibson encourages them
to share their gift of music with the
community, which they often do
around the holidays.
Her four children will perform
concerts in the community and at
local churches during the holidays.
The four children perform together,
being invited to play at several
Christmas concerts as The Gibson
Children.
Other traditions have travelled
well in the family. Armstrong-
Gibson’s children make the trek out
into the bush to bring back the year’s
Christmas tree with their father now,
but she insists she has not yet
mastered the sewing machine. She
does bake though, and encourages
her children to lend a hand in the
kitchen.
While there are no chores to be
done, Armstrong-Gibson’s family
still attends mass on Christmas Eve,
followed quickly by a holiday visit
from the grandparents.
Stockings have stayed in the
family and Armstrong-Gibsoninsists that Christmas Day is keptopen for family. “We’re a very busy family, soChristmas Day is a very sacred dayfor us. We spend some time outside
and then we have our turkey dinner,”
she says.
With her family, Armstrong-
Gibson already had a lot of tradition
in place when she started her own
family. She says the case is much the
same in her role as East Wawanosh’s
principal.
“When I arrived (in 2007) a lot of
school traditions were already in
place for the holidays,” she says.
The tradition at East Wawanosh,
she says, is a charitable one. The
school always participates in the
Huron County Christmas Bureau as
well as a holiday food drive for the
local food bank. Both of these events
involve a lot of student leadership,
she says, which she encourages, but
hasn’t had to solicit for. She says the
students are very enthusiastic about
holiday charity projects and havebeen since she’s been there.There is traditionally a week ofcarolling before students leave forChristmas holidays, and Armstrong-Gibson recalls one Christmas where
the school was left without a piano
player, so she asked her daughter to
play so the students didn’t have to go
without music for the holidays.
As all schools do, East Wawanosh
hosts an annual Christmas concert
where the students show off their
performance skills for their parents
as well as members of the
community.
Armstrong-Gibson says that
evening is one of the best of the year
for her.
“It’s a great chance to reach out
into the community. Everyone is
together for Christmas; parents,
teachers, students and members of
the community,” she says. “On that
night, the kids are so excited to give
back to the community. They just
glow.”
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2008. PAGE 13.
A charitable Christmas
Wendy Armstrong-Gibson, principal at East Wawanosh
Public School, has always stressed the importance of
giving as well as receiving when it comes to Christmas.
This year East Wawanosh Public School donated to the
Huron County Christmas Bureau and the local food bank.
From left: Laura Higgins, student council prime minister,
Grade 1 student Jaida Ruff-Robinson and Armstrong-
Gibson. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
For principal charity begins at home and school
The Municipality of Central Huron Council and
Municipal Staff join together to wish you
peace and serenity this holiday season.
COUNCIL
REEVE
Bert Dykstra
DEPUTY REEVE
John Bezaire
COUNCILLORS
Marg Anderson
Tim Collyer
Jim Ginn
Alison Lobb
Brian Barnim
Pamela Stanley
ADMINISTRATION
CAO: Richard Harding,Clerk: Brenda MacIsaac,Director
of Finance: Kevin McLlwain,Brenda Armstrong,Belinda
Axford,Terri Brandon,Cindy Denomme,Judy Dixon,Jane
Harris,Deb Nikitin,Sharon Romphf,Deb Stephenson.
FACILITIES DEPARTMENT
Facilities Manager: Steve Campbell
Doug Dolmage,Shawn Gautreau,Mike Ladd,Bev
Marriage,Sabrina Baldwin,Butch Fleet (retired).
BUILDING DEPARTMENT - PROTECTIVE SERVICES
Chief Building Official: Lesley Adams,Andy DePutter,
Fire Chief: Steve Cooke,Bylaw Officer: Lorna
VanderPloeg,Animal Control Officer: Bob Trick.
ROADS DEPARTMENT
Roads Manager: Tom Sinclair
Jason Cox,Ritchie Cox,Roger Cunningham,Mike Dixon,
Ian Hulley,Jim Johnston,Randy Marriage,Stan McClure,
Rick Pickett,Mark Wallace,Gord Tait (retired).
UTILITIES/CLINTON POWER CORPORATION
Utilities Manager: Steve Gibbings
Paul Chambers,John Graham,Mark Krahn,Bill VanWyk,
Adam Wilson,Brett Finlayson,Ian Koetsier.
THE MUNICIPALITY
OF CENTRAL HURON
PLEASE NOTE:
THE MUNICIPAL OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2008 AT 12 NOON
AND REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL
MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2009 at 8:30 am
HYDRO ELECTRIC
EMERGENCY CALLS. . . 519-482-9601
www.centralhuron.com
JIM JOHNSTON
CABINETRY
* Kitchen Cabinets
* Vanities
* Wall Units
Blyth
Work
519-525-3639
Home
519-523-9608
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~~ DDoonn && JJuulliiee ~~
1 mile west of Blyth
on Blyth Rd.
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Landscaping & Supplies
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen