What a surprise and delight to wake up on Tuesday morning and discover a light blanket of snow on the ground here in Valley Home! Running late for an appointment in Oakdale, your reporter couldn’t stop to snap a photo, however on returning home we were delighted to find it had not all melted during our absence and were able to still capture some of it on film. No long drive to the mountains to enjoy a snow scene, just a walk outside the back door!
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A night time drive through our Valley Home area will reward viewers with some lovely lighted Christmas displays. Bundle up the family and enjoy a leisurely ride along the streets in our area and you will be rewarded with some beautiful light displays. In addition to Joe and Linda Perez’s colorful light display on Pleasant Valley Road are neighboring lighted displays gracing the front yards of the Jeff Bjorge’s and Mike Tozzi’s. The Greg Middelemiss family on Pioneer Ave. have a beautiful display in their front yard. Colorful lights continue up Pioneer and cross Highway 120 where several displays create a sparkling glow in the evening sky. Return and take a leisurely drive along Valley Home Road and pause at the Mullins’ brightly lit display, and end with the Henry home featuring Santa’s arrival, on the corner of Valley Home and Pioneer Ave. Don’t miss the displays lighting up the evening sky on Victory, Sawyer, Walnut and Cleveland, as they bring a special glow to the Holiday Season!
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We have heard from several residents that our Valley Home Christmas Parade was absolutely magical! The entries were fewer than in the past years, but the spirit was definitely in the air! A light rain cast a sparkling glow on the first entry to circle the parade route. Entry Number one featured this year’s Grand Marshal, Mrs. Elsie Martin who was driven through by her son, Joe Martin, in a dazzling white “sleigh.” Next up we spotted Santa and Mrs. Claus who danced their way along the parade. Beautiful lighted floats, Holiday lighted quads, a glittering tractor and a very determined elf who, in the past, has driven our Valley Home School bus in the parade. All the floats sparkled merrily as they moved along the parade route. Special thanks go out to our dedicated Valley Home firefighters who took the time to come and join our parade. We offer a great big Thank You to Winnie Mullins and friends for hanging in there in spite of the rain and putting on this fun-filled event to usher in the Christmas Holiday!
The Christmas Community Potluck Dinner was held at the school multipurpose room immediately following the parade, with many delicious holiday dishes being served. Beautiful holiday wreaths decorated the gym and were made by our Valley Home 4-H arts and crafts group. At the evening, a lovely toast was made in Mrs. Elsie Martin’s honor.
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Sharon Hofmann shares the news that St. John’s Lutheran Church is having their Annual Christmas Caroling and Hayride on December 23rd at 5:30 p.m. They will sing Christmas carols while being escorted around Valley Home on a bright and cheerfully ornamented lighted wagon, and people seated on bales of hay and filling the air with Christmas songs. There will be refreshments afterwards in the basement of the Church on Michigan Avenue. Bring your blankets, it may be cold!
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We offer a very special Happy Birthday wish to Wes Michener who celebrated a birthday on December 7th from all his Valley Home friends!
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There will be no Valley Home MAC meeting tonight. The next scheduled meeting is the third Wednesday in January 2010 (1/20/10) and the two new members, Sharon Hoffman and Nancy Osmundson, will be introduced by the council.
