‘By JENNIFER.
LANG

AT: MIGHT sound” dreary
.to have tp spend: Christmas
, but...
“that's certainly not the case
in Terrace = “thanks to Mrs, a

Day” at’ the ‘hospital, ©

_ Claus. -
~ > For: the: ‘past: 17 ‘years,

Santa’s better half‘has been -
bringing laughter: ‘and. cheer ts
(not < to: méntion: -armloads.
of gifts) to Patients at Milis-

Memorial © Hos pital every:
‘Dec, 25. ° .
For the. other 364 days of °

the year, Mrs. Claus.is better. -
known as. Sandy Normaii;.a ~

former practical” nurse -and
professional” -

‘aS a girl i in Montreal ;

, stuf f,” she Says, .

She - doesn’t: consider it
u-sacrifice to spend: part’ of.”
her Ghristmas Day. making:

~ singers’ happy, when. she

a could be home with her fam
; w 3 simply a a "way: ‘of. life,
: “When- | was: young, my-

dad would? lake. meé “ahd: |
. would, entertain at. -the. chil-
dren’s hospital :i in “Montreal.

My dad was-a Shriner. They’
always , needed” something:
on- Christmas Day.: “A lot of:

people didn’t do anything on

Christmas. Day - 7 they'd doi it

the: day before.”

* Shed read stories: ordress obs
up as a character -(a fayourite’.. rageous. characlers. suchas

was Tontgn the-Clown-from *

CBC’ s Chez Helen show).-.:

- As agiil she toured with .
the Golden Tones, and later.

with a group called the. Blue. =
- dren, “worked asa practi-,

“We: played ‘veryibing - cal nurse, and: does animal:

Celebrate a

MORE: PEOPLE thant ‘ever:
are lurning out foran annual:
seasonal” gathering. held’ in.’ *
remembrance of: loved ones, :

Skyliness.

_ who have passed a ‘away.

Celebrate ‘A> Life, offers

people a. way 10. Temember.
~-their loved one:> and“ac-
knowledge —

“ing the loss of a‘loved one.

This. yeat, 75. peopleat- -
‘tended this - ‘non-denomina- ee
tional ceremony, ‘preseited: *

~ by ‘the ‘Terrace’ Hospice: So.
ciely on Dee, 14," .

“entertainer,
_Whto got, her start in Showbiz --

- their’ ‘absence -
. during the: holidays, which. -
are. a time of conflicting
emotions for: anyone Briev- oe

“Seas ons:

; warding.

“VT get to. do things a lot: of
; people. can’t do,” P

“jumping Jnto bed: with: ihe
--patients, for a laugh.

" never.,
: Claus!" Lone

‘

* She « enjoys. playing out

“Everybody warils: me to

do Mrs. Claus,” she admits,

She's also: taught’.chil-

many. ‘that’ takes place as the ©.

names’ of. the: deceased are:
téad aloud, “society. coordi-.
_ ator Lora- Maki said, « i

- Participants ; are al

the. name of their: loved'’6 ones
on them; => &
The: evening. is at -emo=

to express ° tiow. they.

a “gel a chuckle ora twinkle, al :

rs. Claus wore 1
So. the-hospital arourid, ‘noo an

: ’ “each Dee, 25, :
from ‘jock 1 ‘to: ‘nythm aid * :

“Pye “always done: c zy chiles," she recallls: oy
: After moving to Terrace, :
“and raising “a family; she.
continued . to perforin: She
played the role-of Bunny. in
va Terrace. Little Theatre. pre- c
sentation of: California Suite. ¢
“And: she, svas_ the ‘cheerful:
“Tree” mascot when Terrace
hosted she’ 1986: Northern
BC. Winter Games. ;
_. “It’s been really, Ta nae
_ Since: she first took the.
” glage-al the: “age. ‘of S-at her. -
~ family. church, ‘Norman’ S:
goné on to’ ‘doa. Tittle: of: eye:
; crything: - —-sing, dance, ‘tell
stories. = ‘perfortning. for
ve children and adults.”

~~ the doctor ordered.”

_ who -otherwise” Have! Tittle 9 _
” that" 's okay. ‘plant for that.”

“tally ‘prepare. Other’ people.

g Greeting Ss
’ Hoppy Holidays. and a prosperous ‘New.

Year. Thank to all our friends and
_ customers for your patronage in.2004.-

pemmodei Dive ESHOP g

| 635-9 ‘9440 © 1-877- 635- 9440

4546 Lazelle Ave., Terrace an XS

: C8 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, £ December 22, 2004 -

Mrs. Claus brings love |
and laughter this season

“health care.

‘Playing Mrs. Clas | is: te

“T just love it, . she’ ‘ays,
For inslance, ‘things Tike’

Tsay, “PIE bet you we”
slept’

That. linenever- ‘ails to:

. the: very least. -

She, doesn’t: plan. “pit her».

‘set “when: she. and ‘her ¢tf ~be donated; shy the Berean -

Casually’ a-family -member; . ‘Family: Fellowship: ©

like her. son) head, dawn io:

We goin ‘and we ving it?
=: whatever. ‘it lakes to make.

lt” also reaches’ ‘people

reason’ tosmile;

She. remembers the time: -
she dropped 1 in: ona. ‘terml-
“nally: ill patient = someone .
‘she knew. = who: was: seem

ingly: beyond reach:
“1 got up: beside, ‘him, i"

at hehe Bd

now, ae
“He. passed’ caivay: “soon:

. afier they spoke. : His. wife

“7 called to: say “haw much the.
“visit” had * brightened that benefit from. her example. :
dark .day, ‘which: is somé-~. J fad
dark: ay, which: is \s mes ee Jou ay Feel a lot better.” -

thing she’ Ih never "forget.

itiembering, music, riadings .
anda candlelighting cere-

“Some! spoil have: been: o
coming for years. They take
alt quite. 10. heart,, They’ lake.”
“the day off work; They nen

fais

The" evening. is growing:

in. “Popularity, Maki : ‘says..
: Last’ year's Celebrate: A Life
* dréw. about 50: people - a re--
7 cord atlendance.”
~. tional: -one, but it's an ‘impor- .
taint opportunity: ‘for people.
really’.
feel at a-time of: 3 year, when:
society’ pressures us. lo. put ~
=: on! a happy, : smiting’ face, oy
free". Maki said.

This year, Maki Sedat a

with. a
The Tertace Hospice So:

. ‘the ‘gifts, ‘that are’ distributed o

wath 7 Ms Ms ‘Claus handed out more.

than’ 30: stuffed bears donat-’

Church.

Clas costumé (vith i aname |.

people laugh; -we “do,” she
“says.."'I just: play everything: .
.-by ear. Eknow if. somebody
“can take'a jake.”-
‘She finds that her irrevel-- ;

ent, bold humour isjust what :
laugh.

inatly home by’ about’3 pam.
: She drops by:

Lo tip the: ‘crowd at the city ‘of
*Terrace’s.’ children’s Party,
“-reading: ‘them ‘Stories “and. *
"© playiiig garries until the star
» attraction, Santa, artives. ’
Said, “E'I: bet, you" ‘ve never
slept with, Mrs: Claus.’ And:
“he said, ‘No, butl guess! tam
Dolly‘ Parton, ‘or Mrs. Claus, i
ae pererinial favourite, ° -

yl loaks forward to dressing up’. =
-, as Mrs, Claus, ade

: thal can” tbe, ‘flormaily.”

“ciety ‘offers programs: such.”
“as. volunteer” visits and: a”.
Tesource: library filled with.
- Materials and free ‘pamphlets 7
_ On’ ptief and relaied-issues..
2" may just “come once; and
"-that!s enough for them,” “
-come-ta help: ‘decorate. a tree .
“with: ‘Paper ‘tags . ‘containing

erigl. ‘support. Broup. vat, least.
sonte a: -year,, in: addition -to
“ongoing training. for Volune”

207-4650. “Lavelle: .
” above the Terrace and - Dis.
fev: local Hicallhi care profes: "
‘sionals. expressed interest in...
“attending as a. Way to: recog: - °
“hize clients they: ve worked :
: 0S sociely: or ‘Celebrate a Life; .
please call 6359-48110. 2

“(Ma r. holida season be filled n ,
: " and: oy ate Kealthin 20051:
Watch, for our famery Sales!

Mrs. Claus always artives :

with her: arms: filled’ with

~ gifts for the patients at, Mills, ©.
* taking a nod from her more wee
~farnous mythical partner,
“.2 -Over-the years, different:

‘organizations ‘have ‘donated: -

Last; “year, fot instance;

“ed by St: Mautiows Anglican

‘This. ‘year, “the gifts: will

‘She. usually. starts her visit _
“around noon -in-full Sarita

lag reading Mrs. Claus), Wig:
‘and. makeup ~ and she’s nor-

the: psych unit,

‘prepared to. “do .
‘whatever rie Jakes” to gel. a.

eY gu. have some neople
who just’ want - to talk, and”

Mrs. Claus: “also - warms’

Norman ‘says, she. really

“ “Lean be: ‘somebody’ lie pe

@DIATOR |

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635-8100.

' 24 Hour Emergency Pager: 638-7388
_ Unit 105-4526 Greig Ave., Terrace

rcito Minute Muffler)

She -also. thinks. people

“If you can laugh at your:

6 3 5 7 7 0 7a

INUTE *
UFFLER

& BRAKE

632-7747"

- “Your Under ; [
Car Speciatist”

-700- NALABILA BLVD.

owing |

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.. The sociely, also offers a

‘teers, ;
“The office is: located: at
Ave, !

trict’ Credit: Union’ and. is
Open 9.a.m, to 3 pm, Mon-:
day: to” Friday. ‘For-more: in-
formation , on “the “hospice.

39 10 Clinton Street, Terrace, B.C , ‘VaG 5R2
For More Info phone 63 7283

” FROM Our Fi FAMILY To Yours. BES ‘WISHES FoR

A SAFE AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.

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