Excursions through the beautiful St. Maries River Valley are beautiful any time of year and by this time next year they are expect to be available by railroad.
The owner of the St. Maries River Railroad has purchased passenger cars and plans to set up an excursion train for tourists in St. Maries. Three of the cars are here and will be open to the public for viewing during the Christmas in St. Maries celebration Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the depot on 10th Street.
Other events planned for Saturday’s CHRISTMAS IN ST. MARIES include Craft fairs at the Eagle’s Lodge, Grub Box and PACE Fitness with merchant sales and festivities at area businesses
12:30PM Santa’s Arrival on Main Avenue
1 to 5PM Vendors on the Main Avenue
1 to 4PM Horse-drawn wagon rides pick up and drop off at the Grub Box
Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Contest • Letters to Santa & Pictures with Santa at The Paperhouse
5PM Lighted Christmas Parade
Something for everyone to kick off the holiday season.
Most any resident can tell you St. Maries is a pretty great place to live and those of us who live here are thankful we do.
We’re thankful for our neighbors and for the friendly atmosphere that abounds throughout this community. We’re thankful for the rivers, the lakes and the mountains. Still others are thankful for the four distinct seasons those living in northern Idaho experience each year. Many are thankful for the hunting and fishing, the hiking and bicycling trails, and the multitude of outdoor activities available.
This Thanksgiving weekend many of us are thankful to call St. Maries home.
Don’t feel like cooking dinner tonight?
The St. Maries Eagles Lodge’s third annual soup and pie dinner is from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight, Nov. 16. The cost for the meal is two cans of food per person.
With this event, you’re eating dinner while helping stock the shelves area residents in need.
“We hope to have a lot of support to help out our local food bank,” Gordon Hutchison said.
Local restaurants will supply the soups for the meal. Mr. Hutchison said anyone who would like to donate a pie may bring it to the Eagles before the meal.
The Eagles will also be the site of the annual Craft Fair during Christmas in St. Maries Dec. 1.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the community is invited to come and shop several vendor booths.
Members of the Eagles will sell cinnamon rolls for breakfast and coffee will be available all day. Lunch will also be served. The menu will include hot dogs, hamburgers, chili dogs, cheeseburgers and more.
The fundraisers will help support the Eagles Lodge.
St. Maries is filled people and organization working to help those in need, and what a better time to give and share than the holidays.
For 
as long as most residents can remember the St. Maries Elks Lodge has distributed food and gifts each Christmas season to area residents in need.
This year is no different.
And for nearly as long, members of the Elks Lodge have sponsored fundraisers to augment the multitude of generous donations provided by area businesses and individuals.
A favorite fundraiser is Saturday’s annual Elks Turkey Bingo. Hundreds of people turn out to play bingo, and visit with their friends and neighbors while taking a chance at winning a turkey for their holiday meal. For just 25¢ each card it’s an entertainment bargain.
The games start at noon at the St. Maries Elks Lodge and continue until 5PM. Concessions will be available and turkeys abundant.
Have you ever realized that some of the best public events are planned and run by volunteers?
Christmas is just a little more than six weeks away and dozens of volunteers have already been working hard organizing the annual Christmas in St. Maries and the BetterCare Christmas Gala scheduled for the first weekend in December.
BetterCare is Benewah Community Hospital’s very own hospital auxiliary and includes an army of volunteers who work to raise money for equipment and things not budgeted for the facility. The Christmas Gala is Dec. 2 and is one of the most elegant events of the holiday season.
Plans for this year’s gala include a catered sit-down dinner with a menu choice between bacon-wrapped pork loin and chicken cacciatore. Jim Broyles and Carol Robinson will provide musical entertainment during the dinner and BetterCARE’s new Bear program will be introduced. The organization plans to provide a teddy bear to all children admitted to the Benewah Community Hospital.
The theme is an Old Fashioned Christmas. The event will be in the gym at the Church of the Nazarene in St. Maries to accommodate a larger crowd.
Tickets cost $25 each and can be purchased at the hospital or from any BetterCARE member. Admission includes an entry into the drawing for a fully-decorated 7-foot Christmas tree, which has been donated by Archie’s IGA. Gift baskets will also be raffled this year.
Time to start thinking of Christmas and BetterCare’s annual is just the thing to get you in the spirit of the holidays.
