| INSIDE SECTION B = COMMUNITY : ALEX HAMILTON > EVENTS B2 638-7283

EV BISHOP Road Trip hen I excitedly explained my

W plans and my fervent anticipation

of the trip, I got basteally one re- sponse from everyone,

“You ALONE, sole driver, a 14 month old and a just turned 4 year old? On an 18-hour drive? AND you're looking forward to this? Arc you nuts?" A good friend even joked thal she had heard of postpartum blues but never of post postpartum insanity. It was all in good humor but there was-no mistaking the fact that NO-ONE was envious of my getting away from it all if that entailed “being locked into a yechi- cle-with two kids on’a road trip and no-one could understand the attraction of it for me.

[ was pumped. A drive from Terrace to Van- couver, and mie, sole navigator!’ There was method to my interpreted madness, my sister/best friend had completed her first year at U.B.C, and was coming "home" for the break and needed transport for herself and her stuff.

We planned to drive back slowly su we could take in the sights. Before kids, trips con- sisted of zooming down there (only as Fast as the speed limit allows of course!) driving straight through, begrudging even bathroom breaks, Once there, spending as much time as possible .in the city, leaving the last hour pos- sible in order.to drive back home, again, straight through, squeaking into town just in time to be on time, albeit without sleep, for wark or school. This would be a very different trip from the ones I knew. The kids and I were just going to drive when the driving whim pre- vailed and stop when the kids wailed.

We borrowed a minivan from a friend be- .

cause our own car is a "Town Car". not due to- its classiness but rather ta the fact that we'd rather be in town, within walking distance of home, when it breaks down. The most critical paints of preparation for the trip were my visil to the library where 1 grabbed up a dozen story book cassette sets and my sneaky gathering of inexpensive but intriguing doodads and tays from garage sales and The dollar store. My

‘amassed collection became the "SURPRISE

BAG": never before viewed travel entertain-

"ment.

It: wasn’t a hugely glamorous trip or an extravagant, throw your money around holiday but it was terrific fun! We drove an easy 3 hours the first day to Smithers to spend the night with my grandparents and were off bright and early the next day. Pour and a half hours into our drive, after a so far, so good time of Singing, knock-knock jokes and story tapes, Topher got cranky as only a 14 month ald with supernatural lungs can pet.

However, seeing as we were already just past Vanderhaof, we pushed on into Prince George where !, like’ millions of other travel- ling parents have done, literally thanked the Lord for McDonalds "ballroom!" We ate and played for about two hours. The plan for night 2 was to sleep in Quesnel but the kids were

: travelling so well at that point, translation:

they were sleeping, that I decided to drive on to: Williams Lake.

Once there we had a "Dec-licious!" dinner at Dennys, dinosaur shaped chicken nuggels, yum-yum, followed by splashing in the pool at the annexed Sandman hotel. Day 3 saw us heading into Vancouver. Five and a half hours of, let me tell you, pure mocing entertainment! They were very impressed by all of the many, many cows we saw. We sang "Old Macdo- nald" a hundred times and he only had cows; skinny cows, brown cows, mommy cows, Riah made up the verses and Topher moaoood.

We had made it, no. big upsets; no high stress. Truthfully, I’ve had far more frazzling five-minute jaunts to Safeway. The memory

makers for me were the long hours driving,

where there wete no demands on my. time, where [ was completely free to just visit my kids, tell stories, sing together, laughing with and at them, hee hee... "Real" life is busy and it’s hard sometimes to cram quality moments

mentality was like having time suspended, we -

could live in the: moment because there was nothing else.

Some people will think that this sounds like ‘the most boring excursion imaginable. ‘but it was NICE: and nice is often underrated these days in the search for excitement, glamour and keeping up with the: neighbors. Riah still talks excitedly of her memories...,

"Remember the hatel room, mommy? And ALL those channels of CARTOONS it had?"

So: her good memories -are different than

mine... oh well! Treasured memories are © still just that:

Santa’s comin’ to town

NELSON McGINLAY is ready to light up the night.

He’s spent the last few

weeks testing each one of -

his 10,000 Christmas:tights (and checking them twice!) trying to find-out

which ones are naughty and nice, err,.burnt out or -

not. ‘For the past eight years McGinlay has turned his property on Highway. 16 west into Santa’s~ head- quarters, complete with lights, nativity scenes, tin soldiers and-even Santa himself.

It takes him and his fa- mily three days to decor- ate. the yard, including stringing © kilometres ‘of cord on his 70 fool Christ- mas tree,

MecGinlay said he’s goes to the trouble every year because. it’s his way of giving back to Terrace.

“It’s a way of saying thank you,” -he= said. “Terrace has been really good to my family.”

Plus, being able to meet with children makes him feel good.

“If you could see the look on these little kids faces, you’d understand why I do this,” he said, “There’s no words to ex- plain it.”

Last year, McGinlay said 508 children came to sit on his lap and divulge their Christmas wishes.

One little eight-year-old girl, he recalled, asked for something that touched his ‘heart.

“She sort of had her head down: and said: ‘] don’t want anything for

SANTA'S COMING SOON: It takes Nelson McGinlay weeks to turn his property on Highway 16 west into Santa’s Headquarters every year. He will be turning on his Christmas lights December 15. Visitors can meet with Santa December 18-24 from 6-9 p.m.

myself, but P'd like you to find-a cure for diabetes be- cause my grandfather is dying of it.”

“When that little girl said “that, 1) was’ almost brought to-tears,” he said:

“It reassures you: that our future is okay because a lot of children have been taught nice values.”

McGinlay “reminds vi- silors (hat every year a do-

nation box is provided to raise money for local char- ilies,

‘Proceeds will go to the

‘Village of Peace Senior

Care Society, a charitable organization raising money to build a small group of

. homes ‘for the elderly, and

for the Terrace Firefighters Burn Fund, which helps send local families to

Locals encouraged to adopt city trees

SIX LOCAL women have each adopted new trees on Kaium Avenue, dedicating them in mem- ory of friends and loved ones. ,

The six new European Hornbeam saplings located between Park Avenue and Lazelle Avenue, “were planted as part of -the Greater Terrace Beautifi- cation Socicty’s Adopt A Tree Project.

Sevcral local residents have purchased trees from the city to remember ioved ones. Each sapling is iden- tified with a plaque noting who adopted the tree -and who it is dedicated to.

The trees help. make —

Terrace a greener,. more beauliful city, says Beau- tification Society president Betty Campbell:

Campbell. purchased a tree in remembrance of her late husband Jock’ Camp- bell.

“He was in the bush all his life, and I think he'd just be tickled pink that there was a tree planted in his name,” she said.

Peggy McKeown said she purchased a tree in memory of her late hus- band James McKeown.

- “1 wanted him’ remem- bered by the community

very, very much.””

Rose Wold dedicated —

her tree to her late hus- band Karl World, who was also fond of trees. _ “We've lived here for 30 years,” Wold said. “t thought it would be a good idea to give back.”

Carole Julseth bought -

her tree so the community would remember her father Edward Sproule,: who was

‘a dedicated Terrace volun-

Batty Campbell, Rase Wold each donated a tree to the city in memory of loved ones. Plaques will be

placed by each tree with the names of the women: °

and the those who are remembered.

teer.

“I feel he really suppor- ted the community,” she

Said.

* “He always took food to the “Sally“Ann once a month. [1 was his way of

giving back.”

The -two other trees’

were purchased by Elenor

Muehle in. loving memory of her husband Haas, and Vesla Douglas.

Douglas’ plaque reads: “This tree is dedicated to all the: volunteers who make ouf. community a belter place to live.”

Vancouver for treatment.

Last year, about $1,500 was raised for the Village of Peace.

McGinlay thanks every- one who helps him set up his property every year in- cluding his family, Fred Siraw,, who gave him the five foot tall star for the

‘tor "Of -his tree, Pierre

Lussier, who climbed to

Around Town

the top of the 70 foot tree to string lights, Gerry from Northern Drugs who do- hates candy canes and lights, Gerry and Yvone from the Wild Duck Inn, who lends him electrical outlets from their trailer park, and Rick from the Skeena Mall who gave him the little log cabin outside of his hause. ,

cert.

Susan Brouwer.

offer.

Trees cost $25.

: in. Hours alone on the road, stopping. at parks | for the things-he did,” she the following days: Tuesday, December 14 from - to run and gaze at clouds, ordering kids meals said. : ee i 10:30 a.m. to [1:15 am. Wednesday December + without the “errands-to run, eat QUICKLY" And he liked trees WEW TREES: Carole dulseth, Peggy McKeown, 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15, Thursday, December

Christmas concert

MORE THAN 150 band students from Skeena Junior Secondary School will be on stage at the R.E.M. Lee Theatre tomorrow night beginning at 7:30 p.m, for the school’s annual Christmas con-

There are 70 in the Grade 8 band and 90 in a combined Grade 9 and 10 band, says teacher

Second half performances by the Grade 8 jazz band and the Grade 9 and 10 jazz band are on

There’ ll also be a baked goods on sale, the pro- ceeds from which are going to defray the costs of sending 70 of the Grade 9 and IO students to natio- ial band compelitions next May in Toronto.

Craft Fair a success

THIRTY TWO vendors participated in the Christmas Craft Benefil sale November 2, which raised $1,350 for the food bank.

Organizer Brenda Rintisch said about $500 worth of non-perishable food was also donated 10 the Terrace Churches Food Bank.

About 600 people attended the craft sale, which was held at Caledonia Senior Secondary.

Scouts sell trees

BOY SCOUTS Scouls will be setling Christmas trees (Grand fir, Douglas fir and Lodgepoie pine) al Canadian Tire Fridays evenings from 6-9 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays from 12- 3 pm. and Wednesday evenings from 5-9 p.m.

Holiday Celebration HOLIDAY FUN for children aged 2-5 years old will take place at the Terrace Public Library on

16 from 10:30 a.m, to 11:15 a.m. Join Holly and Santa for stories, songs, a puppet show and special Ireals to celebrate the holiday scason. The program is free, bul registration is required. Call the library to register or for more info ‘at 638-8177.

Library closed

THE TERRACE Public Library will be closed on December 24, 25, 26, 27 and on December 31 and January 1, 2000 All other days during the holiday season the library will be open regular houts.