A typical project for a Scout to do as he works to obtain his Eagle rank is to paint fire hydrants.
But that can be difficult if you don’t know where the hydrants are located, as Nathaniel Benham of Boy Scout Troop 443 knows.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank obtainable in the Boy Scouts of America program. The requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges, demonstrating Scout Spirit and demonstrating leadership in the troop. A Scout must plan, develop and lead a service project that benefits a non-profit organization and/or the community.
As Nathaniel sought ideas for his Eagle project he asked the St. Maries Fire Protection District if he could paint hydrants.
The St. Maries Fire Department honored Scout Nathaniel Benham at its training Jan. 15. Nathaniel mapped locations of fire hydrants for the department.
“They weren’t sure how many fire hydrants they had,” Nathaniel said. “And there wasn’t a map that showed where each hydrant was physically located.”
Realizing the fire hydrants would need to be located before they could ever be painted, Nathaniel decided his Eagle project would be one of cartography.
“I went out and mapped where all the fire hydrants were located,” he said. “We gave the physical description, GPS coordinates and took pictures of where they were located.”
Nathaniel created an electronic map that compiled the data he collected into one document for the fire department. He located 132 hydrants throughout St. Maries. During the project, Nathaniel was in charge of a crew of about 20 people who helped him with his project.
“We ended up connecting every picture to the fire hydrant’s location on the electronic map,” he said. “It was interesting where we located some of them. Unless you know they are there the odds are you wouldn’t see them. Some were behind a bush and two we found buried halfway into the ground.”
Working with Dave Canning from the Forest Service, Nathaniel was able to print a full-size map for the department to have at the station.
Nathaniel is the son of Yvette and Curtis Benham. He is a senior at St. Maries High School and has been a Scout for 10 years, beginning his scouting career overseas in Japan. He is the second in his family to obtain the Eagle rank.
Nathaniel is a member of the Order of the Arrow, a special group for Boy Scouts and participates in the St. Maries High School drama club and St. Maries High School choir. He has also been named to the National Honor Society.
The Shoshone County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a special use permit for the second annual Race the Joe! Tuesday. The decision came after they listened to public testimony for and against the race Jan. 16 during a pubic hearing in Calder.
The commissioners agreed that they would consider the impact the event, scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, will have on the area. There was concern whether the event would cause problems on an already congested weekend. Twenty-five people attended the public hearing Jan. 16 to share their thoughts on the race. The St. Maries Chamber of Commerce and Epic Motorsports are organizing the second annual Race the Joe! Residents who continue to oppose a jet boat race on the St. Joe River expressed the same concerns as pervious years.
Boat 399 kicks up a rooster tail as the front end lifts up out of the water and the boat picks up speed for a straight stretch during the 2013 Race the Joe! event.
They are worried two days of racing will have negative impacts on the river. Opponents of the race were also upset with the organizers decision to have the races on Memorial Day weekend, which is the first camping weekend of summer.
Sharon Boyd, who did not attend the meeting, submitted a letter stating her opposition to the race.
“I want to say that I am and will always be against having them,” she wrote. “The same reasons I’ve stated for the past two years still apply: endangering the environment, the habitat, the health of the river and the disturbance of wildlife and migratory birds.”
Mrs. Boyd wrote by having the race on Memorial Day weekend organizers will not only exclude all of the local residents from enjoying the river, but those who travel to the area to spend the three-day weekend camping.
“There are only a couple of three day weekends in the summer for people to enjoy a longer stay in the St. Joe. And Epic Motorsports is denying them the enjoyment of being on the river for one of those weekends,” Mrs. Boyd wrote.
Rayna Farrell, who was not in attendance, submitted a letter to the Shoshone County Commissioners voicing her opposition to the races. She stated that the county needs to be diligent and protect the St. Joe River.
“If we are short-sighted and degrade the river for a weekend of fun and profit we will pay for it in the future,” she wrote.
She cited concerns that included erosion along the banks of the river as well as the spread of invasive species.
“The effects of erosion is cumulative. When the quality of the clarity of the water is degraded, algae and weeds increase. Shoshone County, especially, has a lot to lose. Your part of the St. Joe River is known internationally as a world class fly fishing destination, with added kayaking, camping, hunting, etc.,” she wrote. “Any degradation of this gem of a river will certainly negatively effect the river’s reputation for these sports and affect future tourists dollars.”
Liz Codoni submitted written testimony at the meeting. She cited concerns that included erosion along the river bank and harmful effects of the races on wildlife including fish and migratory birds. Again, she asked the commissioners to deny a special use permit to the race organizers.
“Last year, I pointed out that the Shoshone County portion of the Joe already draws recreational users who come to camp, fish, float and hunt, and that these multiple uses are not compatible with jet boats,” she wrote.
Ms. Codoni said the organizers are “monopolizing” the river on one of the “busiest weekends of the year.”
“And if these folks go somewhere else to camp in peace this year, who’s to say they’ll be back,” she wrote.
She added the area does not need “generated business” because their portion of the Joe is already world famous.
“And if the migratory songbirds have really found other, less noisy grounds.that issue will not close with this hearing, and we may have to live for years with your previous years’ errors in allowing the races,” Ms. Codoni wrote. “There is no need or reason to let these boats in and every reason to say no.”
Supporters of the boat race disagreed.
Darren Arave, of Kellogg, who used to race jet boats, said the jet boats have little to no wake.
“It doesn’t erode the banks,” he said, adding there have been no long-term effects on other rivers that have held events for decades. “It doesn’t’ hurt the environment whatsoever.”
Mr. Arave added it is a great sport. He said he does not believe it will take anything away from people on Memorial Day weekend.
“It will just give them something else to do,” he said. “There will be more people and I hope there is to watch the races.”
John Walters also spoke in favor of bringing the races back to the St. Joe River. He said the races are an opportunity to bring some business to the area.
“There’s no money up here in hunting anymore. The wolves have pretty much ruined that,” he said. There’s not enough money up here. Don’t care how you cut it. The Forest Service has failed us. Fish and Game has failed us. This is an opportunity to bring some money into the area. We need it and we got to have it.”
Mr. Walters said many people who come from Washington never spend money at the local businesses.
“They head home as soon as they are done fishing. They drive over on Washington gas and head home on Washington gas. They don’t spend a dime,” he said.
He added the boat races give residents in the area something to look forward to. He said there are few events up the river. He said the races are also an opportunity to show off the St. Joe River.
“I don’t get money in my pockets from them, but I do get a lot of enjoyment out of them,” he said. “It’s a beautiful place here and the boat races give us the opportunity to show it off. I think it’s selfish of people to not be willing to share the river for one weekend for a few days.”
Kyla Sawyer, with Epic Motorsports, who is helping the St. Maries Chamber organize the race, spoke to the concerns raised by individuals at the hearing. She said organizers are simply asking for a special use permit for two days of racing similar to what spectators saw last year. She said while they could go round and round on the issue of erosion, the fact is that jet boats are allowed to be on the river.
She added organizers watch water levels and try to pick a time of year when it is high water so the shoreline is underneath the water during the races. Ms. Sawyer admitted that while she was not an expert on bull trout or eagles, the agencies that were contacted did not have additional requirements to be followed. Also, she added that the biologists who were hired to watch the eagles during last year’s race reported there was no harm or take to the eagles. The eagles did not abandon their nests. She added the two entities have also applied for a take permit from U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which is not required of them.
Ms. Sawyer said the boats are inspected for invasive species and 90 percent of each boat can be visually inspected. While residents raised questions about the 10 percent that cannot be visually inspected, Ms. Sawyer said they would need to discuss that with the Department of Agriculture, which sets the policy.
Ms. Sawyer said the races would not exclude locals and visitors on Memorial Day weekend. She said it is a free event and they want to include as many people as possible. People are able to watch from any public shore. She said this will be the first year the race has been on Memorial Day weekend and organizers would have to evaluate the success of the race afterwards. One of the reasons Memorial Day weekend was selected, she said, was because racers asked if the race could be pushed back so they would have time to travel up to St. Maries following the World Jet Boat Race, which is being held in Mexico.
Ms. Sawyer reminded the commissioners and the audience that organizers carry a $5 million aggregate insurance policy and the event follows all rules set forth by the American Power Boat Association, which sanctions the event.
Renee McQuade, president of St. Joe EMS, who was, neutral, said the main concern she has is the availability of EMS personnel. She said they would not be able to commit a presence at the jet boat races as they have done in the past. She said she spoke with Deanna Wine, director of St. Maries Ambulance, who also said similarly.
“I think a different weekend would be a better option,” she said.
Ms. Sawyer said EMS availability is mandated by insurance and so they would need to find a way to make sure volunteers are available even if they have to bring them in from another county.
Dan Martinsen, planning and zoning director for Shoshone County, explained that it was determined in December after a conference call that the portion of the river where the race will be run does not fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard. Mr. Martinsen said several agencies were contacted about the race including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Water Resources, Department of Lands and the Idaho Fish and Game. None made any additional requirements.
He said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife does have permitting requirements or potential regulations when it comes to endangered species. He said at the time of the public hearing, the applicants had met all the standards or were willing to meet them.
Before closing the public hearing, Commissioner Larry Yergler suggested the applicants might consider another weekend for next year’s race.
You won’t hear Hank Williams.
But the classic hits of the 1970s, 80s and 90s will continue. So will the news, sports coverage and special programs.
Theresa Plank says operations will continue as normal at KOFE Radio following the deaths of the station’s two prominent personalities, her husband, Phil Plank, and employee and family friend, Bill Anderson.
Mr. Anderson, who worked for the radio station in sales and as a sports broadcaster, died from a heart attack Oct. 15, 2013. Not quite a month later, Mr. Plank, the owner of the station, died following an extended illness.
Mrs. Plank said though many people have asked her if she plans to sell the station the answer at this time is no.
“We’re going to keep on doing what we’re doing,” Mrs. Plank said.
Mrs. Plank and her husband purchased the station in 2005 after they moved to St. Maries from Calipatria, Calif. Mr. Anderson joined them the same year as did Mr. Plank’s son-in-law, Timothy Parrish.
Mrs. Plank said her husband’s goal was to provide a quality broadcast for smaller markets. It is a legacy she hopes to continue.
“My husband owned several radio stations throughout his lifetime in the smaller markets,” Mrs. Plank said. “His goal was always to provide good, quality entertainment that you could listen to with the kids and you wouldn’t have to worry about turning it off.”
The loss of Mr. Plank and Mr. Anderson has shifted many of the responsibilities to Mr. Parrish.
“He married into it,” Mrs. Parrish said.
Mr. Parrish and his wife, Sandra, moved to St. Maries from California also in 2005. He took on a small role when the Plank’s purchased KOFE Radio.
“I wasn’t involved a whole lot,” he said. “I would do some technical stuff for them and then they forced me into climbing towers and stuff.”
“It was more like tricked,” Mrs. Plank joked. “We’d tell him he couldn’t do it or it wasn’t that bad.”
Mr. Parrish handled the morning show while Mr. Anderson covered all of St. Maries sports for the station. Mr. Plank focused on the music and politics. With their deaths, many of the hats are now being worn by Mr. Parrish.
“I just come and keep him company,” Mrs. Plank said.
Her husband started up his first radio station in 1968, after he attended York Technical College for two years. He married Theresa in 1977 and she joined him.
“It’s really been the people that keep us going,” she said. “It really has been. We’ve enjoyed the people we’ve met in the towns that we have lived. And here in St. Maries, we’ve made some really good friends. My husband was raised all over the world in Paris and in London, and he always gravitated to the smaller communities. I’ve always been a small-town girl.”
While both deaths have been hard for the family, they plan to continue to stay at the helm of the radio station.
“It’s the only local broadcast media here,” Mrs. Plank said. “We really appreciate the community’s support. We hope to continue and to make it bigger and better.”
The station will continue with its coverage of Lumberjacks sports, the Seahawks, Gonzaga basketball and the Vandals. Listeners can expect regular programs to continue as well as interviews with politicians. The music will also continue, but don’t expect there to be any more country music than there has been in the past, however.
“Phil hated country music,” Mrs. Plank said. “I loved country music. We used to joke with him that when he went we were going to play nothing but country music on the station.”
“But it just didn’t feel right,” Mr. Parrish said. “We will continue to play the classic hits, and that includes some country. We want to have a little bit of each genre.”
“It won’t be the real twang-y country,” Mrs. Plank added. “And there will be absolutely no rap.”
KOFE Radio tunes in at 1240 on the AM dial. To contact the station, call 245-1240.
They had trouble deciding on a name, but the parents of this year’s first baby had help when it was time to spell their daughter’s name.
Sofia Lilly Rose Schnebly was born to Allen and Clarissa Schnebly of St. Maries at 7:34 a.m. Jan. 2. She weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces.
“I came in because I wanted them to give me something for my back because it was hurting and they told me you’re in labor,” Mrs. Schnebly said. “And then my girlfriend was telling me that I would probably have the first baby of the year.”
And as such, Sofia and her family received more than $700-worth of gifts from the staff at Benewah Community Hospital. Throughout the year hospital employees raise money by hosting luncheons. They use the money to purchase baby items to give to the family who has the first baby. This year, the family received a bassinet, clothes, toys, bathtub, blankets and more.
Eula Needham, environmental services manager at Benewah Community Hospital, said the downstairs crew has organized fundraisers to purchase items for the last 14 years.
“It’s grown quite a bit,” she said. “We used to just do one basket, but now we give them several different items. It’s gotten bigger and better. This year, St. Maries Floral and Gift donated a flower arrangement and Archie’s IGA donated a fruit basket.”
“We are so appreciative,” Mrs. Schnebly said. “Because she was a little early, everything here was needed. We have an awesome community. She was the best thing of the New Year, but this was also amazing.”
Sofia was the only name Mr. and Mrs. Schnebly agreed upon, they said.
“He wanted to name her Chevy, after the truck,” Mrs. Schnebly said. “I thought no, she’ll get made fun of. We also thought about Emma, but then it
would sound like Emily.”
Once they had settled on Sofia, the couple had planned to spell her name Sophia, but the Schnebly’s two-year-old son, Eian, helped suggest the alternative spelling.
“He is so excited for his little sister and calls her ‘Fi-Fi,'” Mrs. Schnebly said, “so that’s how we decided to spell her name with an ‘f.'”
The two middle names were given in honor of Mrs. Schnebly’s aunts.
Sofia is the granddaughter of Rick and Molly Schnebly of Plummer and Ben and Danika Fergus of Silverton, Ore.
Though she’s had offers to lead other hospitals as the chief executive offer, she didn’t accept one until now.
A little more than a year after the search for a new CEO began Brenda Parnell has been hired by Benewah Community Hospital to serve as its top executive.
Brenda Parnell was recently hired as the new CEO at Benewah Community Hospital. She has more than 20 years experience in health care and enjoys working in a rural setting.
“I’m very excited to be here and to be in the Pacific Northwest and to be close to family,” Ms. Parnell said.
Ms. Parnell has a background in health care that spans 25 years. She graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a bachelor’s of science in economics and finance and later received her master’s of business administration in health care administration from the University of Colorado.
Mike LaPlante, chairman of the hospital board, said Ms. Parnell was selected because of her “extensive health care experience” and “extensive financial background.”
“We’re excited to have her come on board,” Mr. LaPlante said. “She’s got a small town, rural background and a lot of experience in different areas.”
Ms. Parnell has primarily worked with rural hospitals serving in the capacity as chief financial officer. She’s worked in Tribune, Kan., Great Falls, Mont., Barrow, Alaska, and Homer, Alaska. She’s also worked in larger settings in Boise, Juneau, Anchorage and Moses Lake.
“I have a background in finance, but I have also been involved in administrative roles at times,” she said. “I enjoy working with smaller communities. I really love the people and becoming invested in the community.”
Ms. Parnell described herself as “strategy-minded” and felt she could work well at the helm as a CEO. She said when she looked at the position at Benewah Community Hospital it seemed like a good fit for her. She said she is interested in making the hospital sustainable as well as improving care
on all fronts.
“I understand that there has been an absence of leadership but I’m ready to work with the board, staff, doctors and the community to move things
forward.”
Ms. Parnell said she expects to be at Benewah Community Hospital long-term. She said she enjoys the area and the recreational opportunities it has to offer.
“I’m a tri athlete so I enjoy bicycling, running and swimming,” she said. “I’m also very health-minded and I just love the outdoors.”
Her other half, Keith Hertel, will be moving from Bayview with his high-school aged sons. She has one son Patrick, 25, who lives in Missoula.
Even though we – and the rest of the country – are getting pummeled with new snow, we’re already starting to think about our spring and summer events.
In fact, planning is already underway for the 2014 Race the Joe! jet boat race, now an annual event, that will be held over Memorial Day weekend (May 23-25). Additionally the organizational committee is meeting to begin planning the annual St. Joe River Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K, which will be June 7 and 8 this year.
And it seems that the Paul Bunyan Days committee is working year-round. The event that has been the summer staple of our town for decades is loaded with tons of events that are surprisingly managed by just a few dedicated members of our community.
But since it is snowing – and if snow is more your thing – well, we’ve got you covered there too.
The St. Joe Snowriders is a local philanthropic group of thrill seekers, and its season is just getting started. Around late-January the annual Breast Cancer Benefit Ride is organized and run – so it appears this latest douse of snow has come at the perfect time.
Whatever your season, though, I think it’s pretty clear that there’s always something to do or see here.
If Jayson Bentcik wasn’t in a desk on the first day of school, chances are you’d find him in the woods.
“Me and my buddy Vern were always out the opening day of whitetail season. We’d skip the first day of school to go hunting,” he said.
Jayson Bentcik, a 2001 graduate of St. Maries High School, has turned his passion for archery and hunting into a career. Mr. Bentcik works for Victory Archery in San Diego, Calif. and is working to start his own company as well.
Mr. Bentcik has always had a passion for the outdoors and has especially enjoyed archery and hunting. Through hard work, dedication and study he built a career out of his passion. He said he encourages young people in school to pursue a career in a field for which they are passionate. He said it will take hard work, but will be worth it in the end.
“I didn’t start out where I wanted to be. It took hard work and networking. Networking is a big deal and it really helps to get your foot in the door,” he said. “Keep your nose down and head high. Stick to the grindstone and make it happen.”
Mr. Bentcik started shooting a bow when he was four years old. Not only did he use it to hunt, but he shot competitively as well.
“I still remember my first bow. It was an old 20-pound bear bow and you just shot off the handle of your riser. It started from there and literally became an obsession,” he said. “I grew up hunting and fishing and absolutely loved it. I grew up watching hunting and fishing on television and had always wanted to be on TV and be the host and own my own sporting goods store.”
However, after Mr. Bentcik graduated from St. Maries High School in 2001, he chose a completely different path when he started school at the University of Idaho. He decided to pursue a career as a pharmacist.
“My dad didn’t necessarily push it on me, but he recommended it. He knew I could make money there and wouldn’t have to bust my hump to do it,” Mr. Bentcik said. “Going into college I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, and pharmacy sounded interesting so I thought I might give it a try.”
A couple years into it, Mr. Bentcik knew his chosen career path wasn’t for him. He said he changed his major several times from fire ecology, to forestry to natural resources to education. He eventually ended up in business.
“Once I started in business, I knew I wanted to have a management background,” he said. “There wasn’t any kind of emphasis in management. There was human resource management, and I actually ended up finding out that’s what I liked.”
Mr. Bentcik graduated from Gonzaga University in 2006. Following college, he worked as the manager of Sportsmen’s Warehouse in Coeur d’Alene and was later transferred to Medford, Oregon. He and his wife, Jennifer, were married in 2009 and the couple decided to reside in San Diego.
“Once I got married, I wanted to be with her and I figured since she was making more money than I was I should just move,” he said.
Without a job, Mr. Bentcik visited Performance Archery to see if there were any open positions.
“I had known the owner from my time with Sportsmen’s Warehouse. I told him I had a background in archery and unfortunately he had just hired a guy a week ago. But he said he would keep me in mind.” Two days later, Mr. Bentcik’s networking paid off. He learned about a job with Victory Archery.
“That’s how it all started. I called the general manager and had an interview and two hours later he offered me the job,” Mr. Bentcik said.
The company, which is in its seventh year, is fairly new, Mr. Bentcik said, but sales are growing each year. His official title with Victory Archery is senior technical sales representative and specialties coordinator.
“That’s my title, but I wear a lot of hats,” he said. Mr. Bentcik is involved in the marketing, production and sales of the company’s carbon arrows. As part of that he is taking orders and interacting with clients. For three months of the year, he is traveling across the United States and to other countries to trade shows.
“In the last three weeks, I’ve been to Canada, Wisconsin and Kentucky,” he said. “I’ll be going to show in Nashville, Tennessee and then to Australia next month. I’ll also be traveling to Dallas and Reno.”
Mr. Bentcik said he enjoys working with clients and striving to meet their needs.
“Eventually they aren’t your customer anymore, they’re your friend. I like taking care of them and really enjoy the sales side of my job.”
When he was in high school, Mr. Bentcik said he could only dream about getting paid to go hunting. Today, it’s reality.
“Entertaining clients goes along with the job and so we will go on hunting trips. I’m getting paid to hunt and fish. How can you not like that? My last big hunting trip was in Hawaii and we hunted two different islands for a week straight.”
Mr. Bentick has also had the opportunity to be in front of the camera as well. He said outdoor networks are often at the trade shows and go around to interview those companies who have booths.
“I also appeared on American Archer, which is a nationally televised show, with Tom Nelson. That was on an antelope hunt in Wyoming and he and I both killed antelopes on film and it was fully televised.”
In addition, Mr. Bentcik is also working to launch his own line of archery equipment through his newly formed company 365 Archery.
“I have my own patent pending designs and have been very busy,” he said. “But when you’re doing something you have a passion for, it doesn’t feel like you’ve worked a day in your life.”
Jayson is the son of Jay Bentcik and Denise Bentcik-Foster. He and his wife are expecting their first child next year. They reside in San Diego, Calif.
There are lots of ways to experience St. Maries.
You can explore her trails, waterways or courses; you can lose yourself in her surrounding wilderness; or you can get to know the people, members of the community and the shopkeepers.
To be able to tell their stories, we’ve created a new page – an offshoot of this one – Show Me St. Maries, and we urge you to take a second to glance through it to read about your friends and neighbors and all the work they do to not just keep their business running but St. Maries chugging along as well.
We told you about this exciting new site in an earlier post, and since then have added a few new businesses, so be sure to click around a bit to read everyone’s story.
Grab a cup of coffee and click here:
You’ll be glad you did.
The students in Lisa Andersen’s third grade class at Heyburn Elementary wrote letters to Santa earlier this month. The originals were mailed to the jolly red elf at the North Pole, of course, but Mrs. Andersen shared copies with the Gazette Record and reprinted with permission here.
Students in Lisa Andersen’s third grade class at Heyburn include Allison Cilburn, Kyler Jackson, Trace Wicks, Kolby Burton, Greyson Sands, Lexi Chappell, Rae McDonald, Dayton Hegge, Lance Hamblin (back) McKayla Spray, Caden Fitzgerald, Ricky Nelson, Kyra Wine, Taci Watkins, Darriene Todd, Alexa Hammack, Sarah Spence and Kyle Renfro.
DEAR SANTA …
Dear Santa and Rudolph,
Do the reindeer sleep in a stable or with the elves in the North Pole where they make toys? Are all elves short or tall? How many elves are there in the North Pole? How old are you?
I’m 8 years old. What I want for Christmas is a lego set for girls. Can I have a lot of candy and presents? Merry Christmas!!!!
Does Rudolph like carrots? I’ll put out some cookies and milk and some carrots.
Sincerely,
Lexi Chappell
****
Dear Santa,
Is it very cold at the North Pole?
Sometimes I act a little crazy, but I am not on the naughty list. And, by the way, how can you deliver so many presents? And eat so many cookies! All I want for Christmas are king size M and Ms! Oh and one more thing is, I would like to have an elf of one of yours if you don’t mind. How old are you? I’m 9 years old.
Sincerely,
Allison Cliburn
****
Dear Santa,
How many elves do you have? What do you do when one reindeer is hurt? How do you eat all the cookies? Do you travel with the Earth’s rotation so it is all ways night so you can deliver all the presents?
Do you have a Christmas tree? Don’t worry I’m going to make a toy list and please write back. I will write more questions on my other toy list.
Your friend,
Caden Fitzgerald
****
Dear Santa,
My dream presents are iPad, Kindle Fire, mp3 player. And can one elf give me a present? Hope you like your cookies and milk. And will you give Rudolph his carrots and tell him it’s from Alexa? And will you tell him to give me a present. Because I love him. And I will give him a present too!
From,
Alexa Nichol Hammack
****
Dear Santa and Prancer,
Is everything good and the North Pole? So are you stuffed from cookies? So what I want for Christmas is a Kindlefire. I want the temple of lights set. I want a Xbox 360. I want a iPod too. I want lego Indiana Jones the video game and a phone. So is Rudolph okay? Can I have a elf on the shelf too?
Love,
Kyle Renfro
P.S. I want a dirt bike too!
****
Dear Santa and Rudolph,
Tell your elves I said hi. Can you give me lots of candy? Give me lots of presents. Does Rudy have magic? Is it cold in the North Pole? Am I on the list?
Love,
Kyra Wine
****
Dear Santa,
What I want is Angry Bird books and sky landers. Santa, how do you eat all those cookies? How many elves do you have? Out of all your reindeer, I like Rudolph. Santa, you are a good man. Is your friend God?
Merr Christmas. You friend,
Dayton Hegge
P.S. I know you have a son named Arthur!
P.S.S. I should have said “May I.”
****
Dear Santa,
How many elves do you have? Do you get cold? How can you get to every house in one night? Could you give me a elf? What kind of cookies do you like? Could I get a lizard that can change colors and a watch that can tell the day, time people and the time.
Your friend,
Kyler Jackson
****
Dear Santa and Mrs. Claus,
May I have some trucks please? I will leave some cookies for you. Be sure you give some to your reindeer! I will leave milk. How many elves do you have at the North Pole? How many reindeer do you have?
From,
Ricky Nelson
****
Dear Santa,
First, thanks for Elfie. I like his smile, his cheeks are as rosy red as yours. Tell Elfie I said hi.
How many elf brothers and elf sisters does Elfie have? Elfie is so good at staying still. He won’t even blink! I’m going to miss my elf, Elfie. But I’ll see him next year. After all, he will keep you company after you get back from Christmas. You’ll be as tired as a dog.
If you have enough time, for Christmas I would like a white Zoomer dog please. Do you ever get tired of cookies? Do you ever get sick from all those cookies? You better brush your teeth good!!
Well, tell everyone at the North Pole I said hi!
Love your friend,
Taci Watkins
****
Dear Santa,
Do you have any backup reindeer? How many elves do you have? Do you travel with the rotation of the earth? Can I have NBA2K14 please?
Sincerely,
Greyson Sands
****
Dear Santa,
I know what I want for Christmas. I would like a giant stuffed animal penguin and a plasma car! I hope I get an elf this year. Do you like cupcakes or cookies? Does Rudolph like celery or carrots? And do you want milk? Does Rudolph like milk or juice? And maybe a tiny present from Rudolph. Will you give my dogs a present please? Do you like hot cocoa?
You friend,
Sarah Spence
Merry Christmas!
P.S.
Keep an eye on my brother Jacob!
****
Dear Santa,
Hi my name is McKayla. Do you like it in the North Pole? Are the elfs fun? I think they would be fun to play with! Can you give me a Kindle Fire please? Do you like cookies? I don’t like them, I love them! Can you deliver to my Dad’s house please, and a puppy. I would like a black lab or a Jack Russell cocker spaniel mix. Those are my favorite animals besides a horse or leopard.
Love you Santa! Tell Rudolph I love him too!
McKayla Lynne Spray
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Dear Santa,
I want more rubber bands and could you leave an elf if you don’t mind.
How do you deliver presents in one night? About the elf, one thing is that I bet they work hard!
Well I know that you work hard so I should make a short letter. Have a good Christmas!
Your friend,
Darriene Lee Ann Todd
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Dear Santa and Rudolph,
Do you have a wife? I think you are the best in the world. How cold is it in the North Pole? Can you give me a iPod please. Can you give me a snow cat and a dirt bike pretty please? May you get me a Xbox please? Can you get me an elf … May you get me a light BMX bike?
Please get me all the stuff I ask for. Can you get me somme tools to build a fort in a tree! Please?
Love,
Trace Wicks
Several local musicians will perform for the community this weekend.
The St. Maries community band and choir will perform their third annual joint concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Eagles Lodge. The choir will then perform their third annual Christmas cantata at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, at the Presbyterian Community Church. Both concerts are free.
Jim Broyles directs the choir and Mike Noyes directs the band. They expect the joint concert to last an hour and a half. The cantata will last an hour. Neither concert will include a church service.
Mike Noyes and Jim Broyles will conduct the joint Community Band and Chorus concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21.
Though they have their responsibilities to direct, Mr. Noyes makes time to sing in the choir and Mr. Broyles makes time to play in the band.
“And we’re both always looking for more people,” Mr. Broyles said.
The choir has 35 members and 18 individuals play in the band. Together, they will perform three selections at the joint concert Saturday. The band and choir will each perform five selections separately.
“The reason I really like it is because you get to hear 50 or more musicians performing at the same time,” Mr. Broyles said of the joint concert. “You don’t get to hear that all that often especially in a small community.”
“I just enjoy bringing music to the community,” Mr. Noyes said. “And you will get to hear different dimensions of music. It’s just going to be a nice, relaxed evening of holiday music.”
Mr. Noyes said the audience can expect to hear some songs they’ve heard in the past, but promises a new twist.
“They are always different because of the instrumentations,” he said.
Members of both the choir and the band include a variety of individuals including those who are still in high school as well as those who have retired.
“The most fun for me is the choir keeps growing and keeps improving,” Mr. Broyles said. “It’s not the same choir we started with three years ago.”
Three hundred people attended the first joint concert, Mr. Noyes said.
“It was a bit smaller last year. We had about 200 people that attended,” he said. “People have a desire to hear holiday music and I think that’s why it does so well.”
“It’s a way to start the holiday,” Mr. Broyles said.
At the cantata Sunday, three selections will be performed from King of Kings. The community will also have a chance to sing along with the choir.
