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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-11-24, Page 14Crossroads 14 Wednesday, November 24, 2004 Exeter Times Advocate Lucan's Christmas Home Tour a big success By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF LUCAN BIDDULPH — Organizers of last week- end's Country Christmas Home Tour in Lucan are ecstatic over the strong turnout. "Oh my God," organizer Sheila Hodgins said Monday when asked if she was pleased with the event. "It was a huge, huge success," she said, adding over 500 people toured seven homes in Lucan Biddulph and stopped for tea and dessert at Holy Trinity Anglican Church. The event was a fundrais- er for the Lucan Area Heritage Association's efforts to build a new museum on Lucan's Main Street. "People in Lucan will be talking about this tour for weeks and weeks and weeks ... they just loved it." Hodgins said the turnout far exceeded expectations and profits from the home tour should put fundraising efforts for a new museum over the $400,000 mark. The Heritage Association also hopes to apply for grants for the new museum and will start additional fundrais- ing efforts after the New Year. The fundraising goal is $950,000. Another home tour will be held next year. Hodgins was thankful for the over 125 volun- teers who helped with the tours, parking cars and working in the church. "Community support was outstanding." A popular stop on the Lucan Area Heritage Association's Country Christmas Home Tour last Sunday was Paulette and Bill Loyens' home and horse farm south of Elginfield Road on Highway 4.Above, Paulette Loyens sits in the front room of her home. (photos/Scott Nixon) Lucan artist Jan Brouwer and his wife Barbara's William Street home was also on the tour. Built by Peter Butler, one of Lucan's first black settlers, in the 1850s, the home features many of Brouwer's pieces of art. Over 125 volunteers worked on the home tour, including Leeann Maguire, above, who worked in Gord Grice and Ruth Frost's home on Saintsbury Line. Joe and Donna Wells stand with some Christmas decorations in their Coursey Line home, the original Culbert homestead. Other homes on the tour were Cec and Sheila Hodgins' home on Saintsbury Line,Tom and Mary Ann McLaughlin's home on Main Street and Patrick and Elizabeth Dale's home on Alice Street. Huron United Way halfway to $200,000 fundraising goal CLINTON — The board of direc- tors of Huron United Way is excit- ed to announce it has reached the midway point of the 2004 Campaign. "The campaign goal this year is $200,000 and Nov. 12 we sailed by the $100,000 mark," said Kimberley Payne, executive direc- tor, Huron United Way. "We are just thrilled." A strategy of good organization and targeting new accounts is credited for the early success of the campaign. "Some of our more traditional and long-time accounts have increased their giving, lending a significant amount of confidence to the overall campaign," said Larry Langan, board chairperson. Huron United Way's board is cau- tiously optimistic it will achieve its community goal by the end of the campaign Dec. 31, but it still need people to send in their donations and new workplaces to come on board. "We aren't asking people to give a lot," said Doran Love, Goderich chairperson, "but we are hoping a lot of people give a little". All funds raised for the Huron United Way stay in Huron County, serving approximately 20,000 citi- zens every year, or one in three people. "If you have already contributed, thank you. If you haven't, please consider the Huron United Way in your gift giving this year," said Payne. The Huron United Way is a local non-profit agency investing in Huron County through its 13 fund- ed agencies. For more information, please contact the Huron United Way at 519-524-7900 or e-mail huronunit- edway@tcc. on. ca.