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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-12-23, Page 4Page 4 —CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1907 the Clinton News -Record Is published each Wednesday at P.O. Boa 35, Clinton. Ontario. Canada, NOM 1E0. Te1.1 412-3443. Subscription Rate: Canada 191.00 Sr. Citizen - 111.00 per year U.S.A. foreign 140.00 per year 1f k registered as second class mall by the post office under the permit number 0817. The News -Record Incorporated In 1924, the Huron News-Rocord, founded in 1881, and The Cilia. ton News Era, founded In 1003. Total press runs 3,700. Incorporating THE BLYTH STANDARD ANNE CHISHOLM - Editor FREDA McLEOD - Office Manager SHELLEY McPHEE-HAIST - Reporter DAVID EMSLIE - Reporter GAYLE KING - Advertising SANDRA BELL - Circulation/Classified GARY HAIST - General Manager MEMBER OWL RIBBON AWAgO 1987 MEMBER Display advertising rates available on request. Ask far Rate Card No. 15 effective Oc- tober 1, 1984. Have a safe Christmas Christmas magic If there's one thing that has been said about Christmas that I agree with 100 per cent, it's the statement that Christmas is for kids. In the News -Record coverage area we have nine elementary schools and one high school. So, when it comes to Christmas con- certs, we get to see a number of them. This year I covered three concerts, and I must say, I enjoyed each one. Usually, I enjoy the first concert and then the others are along the same lines so I take my pictures and leave. Not this year. I stayed until the end of two and time restric- tions forced me to leave 15 minutes before the conclusion of the third. Throughout this week's paper, you will notice pictures of Santa Claus (played by a few substitutes), toy soldiers, Christmas stockings and numerous other items involv- ed with the festive season. These pictures represent weeks and weeks of work on costumes, props and rehearsing of lines. And I must say, the final presentations showed their efforts. I enjoyed the skits, the dancing as well as watching the expressions on each child's face, but if I were to pick one element I en- joyed the most, it would be the singing. Sitting listening to some of the well known carols, I couldn't help but think how much better they sounded when sung by such young voices. I must be the innocence of their sweet voices that make Silent Night come to life, their belief in Santa Claus that makes Jingle Bells lively and their love for the snow that makes Frosty The Snowman sound so good. Also while I was sitting watching a con- cert, I couldn't help but marvel at the amount of work each teacher must put in to thinking up a new performance each year, preparing props, selecting students for the parts and, above all, the patience to teach them their lines and the songs. Some musical skits put on by the primary grades were outstanding. The students stood on stage, shouted out their lines perfectly and then sang several songs - not missing a beat. I was impressed. Most importantly, the students seem tobe enjoying every second of it. They don't seem1 the least bit shy, their voices don't crack; and they remember all of their lines. Simply put - their smiles say it all as they look out in the crowd to see mom, dad and) brothers and sisters focus all of their atter tion on them. One girl at Clinton Public School did moe'e` than smile, she decided she'd say, "i:;' Grandma" and give a big wave while h class was performing. But no one mind�i she was just a little excited, that's all. , When it is Christmas concert season, li at the News -Record say "already?" Bu when it's over, we think, "Boy, they went by fast." In a way, it's kind of a let down when you've covered you're last concert - now ydtl1 depend on the radio and your personal col- lection of Christmas music to get yeti t through the rest of the season. Oh, ya, the television has some good Christmas shows` on as well. In closing, I'd just like to wish everyonei the News -Record readership a very Meroy, Christmas and all the best in 1988. With Christmas only a few days away, the staff of the Clinton News - Record would like to wish all of the readers a safe and happy holiday. We'll be back to our regular schedule next week, with deadlines for news copy being 2 p.m. Tuesday, word ads at noon and display ads at 2 p.m. as well. Enjoy the Christmas season and the festivities that accompany it, but remember to play it safe, if not for you, then for your family and friends. - by Anne Chisholm. Cancer society nets $200 profit Dear Editor, Through your paper, the Clinton Branch of the Canadian Cancer Society would like to thank all those who bought tickets on a draw for gasoline. Because of the generous dona- tion of prizes by Sterling Fuels we realized a profit of $200. Winning tickets were drawn by Ron Maynes at the Clinton Gas Bar on December 15. Present were owner Case Buf- finga, Branch President Freda Buffinga and Branch Secretary Marion Peck. The win- ners are Vera Priestap of Dunlop. St., 75L; Bill Grigg, Queen St., 50L; and Jim Amsing of Bayfield, 25L. The money raised from this draw will be used to purchase more items for the loan cupboard. Cancer patients or their families are encouraged to inquire about the Letters availability of sheep Skins, air mattresses, head rests or any other such items they may wish to borrow. Mrs. George Snieder is in charge of loaning and her number is 482-3632. Thank you for your support and likewise the general public for making this draw a success. Merry Christmas to all and renewed strength and dedication in 1988. Sincerely, Marion Peck. The after -Christmas exchange joust is just about to take some piece of wearing ap- parel or some other gift back to the store after Christmas because it doesn't suit or fit, or you got two of the same thing, such as a best-selling book, for example. There are a myriad of other excuses, limited only by a lack of imagination with some people, as far as store owners and operators are concerned. All of which can lead to some misunderstandings and unpleasantries in the post -festive season as people attempt to return the non-returnables, or didn't realize the store policy before they bought the item in the first place. To help avoid these events, it's important to understand that, contrary to popular belief, merchants are not obligated to take back goods. Most merchants do so, however, because it's good business to try and keep satisfied customers. It's a good idea, nevertheless, to ask if the item you have purchased can be returned after Christmas since you are buying it as a gift. Many merchants will now stamp a bill indicating they will accept its return within a certain time frame after Christmas. If, however, the item is a bathing suit or undergarment of some kind, the store may indicate that it is non -returnable. Also, of course, it may decide that clearance items, at greatly marked -down prices, are non- refundable items. If the tag doesn't say so, we suggest you ask before assuming that it can be returned. It's important, too, to distinguish whether the store will offer a refund or an exchange. Many stores have an exchange policy only, so make sure the store will have suitable alternatives to the item you purchase. Then, of course, there's the question of having the sales slip andother tags that go with the merchandise. If you have brought a gift for someone and are not sure of the size, make sure you retain the slip and tags and provide them when the item is returned to the store. Many a hassle can be avoided by doing so. Also, if you buy a packaged item such as a record and open it, chances are you won't be able to return it. There are any number of other items the store owner may consider in this category, so ask before buying. This will do much to remove the problems that can occur, particularly during the Christmas rush period. Store owners can help, too, by clearly in- dicating their policy in ads or on a display card on the premises. They can also make sure the staff understands the policies and are in a position to clearly explain such policies to a potential buyer and handle returns or return inquiries made in person or by telephone in a fair and diplomatic manner. Don't overlook the telephone in- quiry, by the way: many merchants say they get more calls than normal after Christmas from people who have looked up the store in Yellow Pages in order to check on the refund or exchange policy of that par- ticular store. Taking these steps can make the post - Christmas shopping period a pleasant ex- perience for both the customer and the mer- chant, so this year may it be happy Christmas shopping for all! With the help of these three elves (left, Jason VanDorp, Kent Shill- inglaw and Tim Cowan), Mrs. Claus stopped Santa from changing his image to a "hip" character. All of this took place during Hulled, Central's Christmas Concert last week. (Anne Chisholm photo) Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus Got an opinion? rite a letter to the editor One of the most famous newspaper editorials of all time has to do with Christmas. It first appeared September 21, 1897, in the pages of a leading newspaper of the day, the New York Sun. Virginia O'Hanlon, eight years old, was torn between the doubts placed in her mind by playmates and her own sincere belief that each Christmas a jolly old man came to help spread joy through the world To settle the matter, she posed the question to the editor of the Sun. Francis Pharcellus Church replied as follows: >< "Is there a Santa Claus? "We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the com- munication below, expressirig'a ,the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of the Sun: , Dear'Editor;'s little fr; . th re.1 r no Santa "I anihf years o � . � Clans .P a says '`If' Yo'" ...oe Sung leas ell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? w. , inia ' � ,115 West 95 Street "Virginia, your little fie ds are whave been affected by the skepticism of i skeptical agee aciticit believe except What they see. They think t o nothing can 3yhi is not comprehensible by their little minds. All' , qtr they be tr's or Cdr's, ate lit- tle. insect, an t ink his in- tellect, as compared With the boundlessld out him ' measured by the intelligence' capable of grasping the whole truthowledge. "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists 'as inly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know thai y abound and give to your life its highest beauty a joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa a ,uld be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would li` nillike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable their existence. We should have no enjoy- ment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. "Not believe in Santa Claus? You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your Papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. "You tear apart the baby's rattle and see -,r:, hat makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, not even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, f aney, poetry, love, romance, can push aside the curtain and View and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else more real and ding. 1 `NoabiSanta, Oiause? Thank God he lives, and he lives forever. A thou- sand years frott now, Virginia, nay, ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."