Just a reminder, in case you may have forgotten to check your calendar, Friday, December 16th has been reserved for the Valley Home School Washington DC Fundraiser Drive-Through Chicken Dinner for Four. The dinner includes chicken, beans, bread, salad and dessert and is priced at $30 and may be picked up at the Pioneer Ave. Valley Home School campus at 5:30 p.m. or after. Presale tickets are available from Halley Smith or 5th/6th grade teacher Justin Trunnell.
*****
On Saturday, December 17th be sure to stop by Tractor Supply in Oakdale from 9am-6pm and support the Christmas Bake Sale being offered by our Valley Home 4-H members. Christina and Ashley Barretto, coordinators for the sale, tell us that they have lots of wonderful goodies waiting to tempt your taste buds.
*****
Old fashioned Christmas spirit abounded in our Valley Home community this past Saturday. The celebration began with a Lighted Christmas Parade wending its way through the streets of our community. Residents lined the streets to watch as the celebration began with the parade led by Grand Marshal Tommy Vaughn. Tommy had a great time waving and greeting all the folks along the parade route. Tommy was a passenger in the Oakdale Historical Society’s Van Pelt fire truck, with its siren piercing the crisp air and with its flashing red light and sparkling colored Christmas lights, provided by the Oakdale Historical Society and driven by society president, Ralph Damante.
Let’s hear it for our 4-H’ers, Garrett Bryhni and Austin Dickens, who demonstrated their leadership skills by taking complete charge of the parade. As the parade, with twelve scheduled entries began to move, Austin and Garret hopped on the back of the beautifully decorated fire truck and rode with the parade.
We spotted Valley Home 4-H president, Jenna Heaton being driven in style by good friend and 4-H vice president, Jordan McCain in his Scout. Ashley Barretto looked great driving her holiday golf cart entry which she designed and decorated herself.
Sam and Ben Fletcher along with Ms Bonnie, had an extremely eye catching entry, with big game hunting as the theme. The 4-H float was covered in Christmas lights and was the choice ride of many 4-H’ers. We noticed Cody Bartholomew and his friend, Colby Reynolds, also Marissa & Justina Hicks along with several others.
Halley Smith and her friends, the Thompson girls sparkled with holiday spirit with lights aglow and even a goat tagging alongside.
Filled with holiday spirit, Cooper Bartholomew decorated his bike and anxiously counted the days until he could ride it in the parade. Patrick Rocha proudly rode along on his gaily decorated bike.
The Duvall family, as always, had a wonderful fun entry. The sleigh pulled by dad had the whole gang in Christmas attire. Davey Frasier had lots of fun on his Christmas horse and Santa himself was seen on the Christmas sleigh that was led by Tyler Barretto as Rudolph. Our Valley Home News reporter was seen riding in high style in a beautiful red pick-up driven by Kate Harte.
At the end of the parade, the group made their way over to the tree lighting ceremony. MaryBeth Carpenter worked very hard getting everything ready for the tree. The group was led by Jessica Hatfield in singing Silent Night and as the last notes filled the air, the tree burst into glowing color. Glenn Burghardt representing the Valley Home Community Center Board of Directors thanked the Morris Nursery for the donation of the beautiful six-foot Colorado Blue Spruce which is now the official Community Christmas Tree and will be planted in the park this Spring.
The crowd then moved across the street to the school multi-purpose room to enjoy a delicious holiday dinner. A snow covered Santa’s corner offered young and old alike an opportunity to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Mrs. Santa read stories and the children lined up to visit Santa and receive a traditional Christmas stocking. Your reporter was the only adult with courage to approach Santa and sit on his lap. Santa was struck speechless, so I am not certain if I will get what I asked for. Mrs. Santa however, was delighted to read me one of her stories.
*****
Ms. Rathbun reports the Holiday Store will be open Tuesday through Thursday this week and the class parties will be on Friday with school being dismissed at 1:00 p.m. Be sure to mark your calendars for the After School Program’s Winter Performance slated to take place on Friday at 7 p.m. We are looking forward to the variety of talent the students have to offer that evening.
