HAMMONDSPORT HAPPENINGS

• Many, many "children" of ALL AGES enjoyed Christmas in the Park last evening. The annual Hammondsport holiday event celebrating the Spirit of Christmas included The Keuka Lake Players rendition of O. Henry's story "The Gift of the Magi," held at the First Presbyterian Church, the lighting of the town's Christmas Tree in the Village Park, and all of the "treats" in the Park presented by local non-profit groups offering food and other items. Especially enjoyed were a visit from Santa Claus, hay rides, and the spirit of the evening.

• Among 800 Rotarians attending the recent 82nd Annual Eastern Cities Fellowship of Rotary International in Rochester, New York, were Larry Bates, Debbie Bradley, Carole Kazules, and Paul Zaidel. Guest speaker was Rotary International President Wilfrid J. Wilkinson. The local Rotary meets on Wednesday nights at the Hammondsport Park Inn for dinner and their weekly meeting.

• Wine Country Senior Citizens meet Tuesday, December 11 at 5:30 P.M. at the United Methodist Church fellowship hall for a meal and entertainment. The food committee, Lillian Elwood and Kay Tietjen, asks each family to bring a dish to share and their table service.

• Retired teachers and staff from Hammondsport Central School will enjoy breakfast and fellowship on Wednesday, December 12, at 9:00 A.M. at Bath's Chat-A-Whyle.

• Hammondsport Woman's Club holds their December Yuletide Greetings this month with Marsha Watson as host. Assisting her are Joyce Matron, Fran Pierce, and Joyce Wahlig.

• The Keuka Corkers Red Hatters will host the platoon the group has befriended on Wednesday, December 12, for a holiday luncheonin Hammondsport. A committee met on December 5 at the Curtiss Museum to finalize plans for the event. Contact Lillian Elwood if you are a Red Hatter who would like to attend on the 12th.

• The 17th Annual Miniatures and Doll House Exhibit at the Curtiss Museum is so popular that it will go on past Christmas/New Year's Day. You will have until Sunday, February 24, 2008, to visit the exhibit - or return to enjoy it again! The museum honors Hammondsport native son Glenn Curtiss, the "Father of Naval Aviation." (Local history nugget: He was named Glenn by his parents because they courted in the picturesque Hammondsport Glen, which has attracted both locals and tourists for years!) The museum is located on State Road 54 and currently open Monday through Sunday from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

• Have you, or do you, hang up Mistletoe at this time of year? It is a plant dating back to the ancient Druids, who enjoyed it as a sign of goodwill and peace. (The Druids were a class of priests, prophets, and poets among the ancient Celts of Britain, Ireland and France. They were very powerful leaders and judges until the Christian religion was accepted by the Celts.) Mistletoe, however, is best known for love and fertility. In some European cultures a kiss under it was a proposal of marriage! However, in the USA, it is used as a sign of love and friendship. Men and women both are encouraged to stand under a sprig of mistletoe in hopes of receiving a kiss from their significant other -- or to launch a new romance. My significant other, my beloved husband, started the tradition soon after we were married. We loved it - until one year when he could not find any mistletoe to hang! So if you have some, hold onto to it!

Hammondsport

church news:

• St. Gabriel's Catholic: Maureen O'Neill, Pastoral Administrator: Re v. Peter Anglaaere, Sacramental. Mass schedule: Saturdays 5:30 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m.

Men, women, and children are still invited to join the Christmas Eve Choir for the 8:00 P.M. mass onb December 24. Please sign up on the list on the back table in the church. Rehearsals will be held on Sunday, December 9, 16, and 23 for one hour following the 11:00 A.M. mass.

Lost and Found: A camera was found in the kitchen of McGill Hall. Please contact the parish office to claim it.

The parish thanks all who bought the Bon Ton Community Day coupon booklets, as well as those who sold them, and an enormous thank-you to Lucy Perkins, Chairman. A total of $1,361 was raised to help pay for a dishwasher for the kitchen in McGill Hall!

• St. James Episcopal: Located on the corner of Main and Lake Streets. The Rev. Sandra Curtis, Rector; Sunday Eucharist and Sunday School are at 9:00 A.M., followed by Coffee Hour; Thursday 12:15 P.M. Eucharist.

Last Sunday, December 2, the church decorated a Jesse Tree in the sanctuary and an Angel Tree in the undercroft by removing doves naming items needed by the Food Pantry and putting Angels on the tree in their place! All was followed by a dish-topass brunch.

Today, December 9, Dorie Lundy is in charge of the coffee hour after service. Adrienne Hutcheson is overseeing coffee hours for the month of December.

Lay people assisting the Rector this morning include C. Van Houten, Chalice; N. Forenz, Acolytes; D. Erway, C. Van Houten: Readers: R. and E. Frey, Ushers.

The Scout Drive on November 10 brought in 2,522 units of food for the Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry. Thanks to all who helped.

This week at the church: Monday, December 10: 7:00 P.M. Book Study at Rector's home at 10 Shethar St.; 7:30 P.M. Al- Anon meeting at the church.

Tuesday, December 11 at 3:00 P.M. and Saturday, December 15 at 11:00 A.M.: Food Pantry is open.

Wednesday, December 12: 7:00 P.M. Bible Study at the Rector's; 7:00 P.M. Vestry Meeting.

Friday, December 14, Movie Night at the Rector's home. Boy's Town will be shown after a 6:00 P.M. dish-to-pass dinner. Beverage and place settings provided.

• First United Methodist Church: The Rev. Paul Rowley, Minister: 8:30 a.m. Service: 9:45 -10:45 am, Sunday School; 11:00 a.,. SERVICE. On the 5th Sunday of the month, the two services are combined with a 10:00 A.M. service for all.

If you would like to join the mission team of Methodists and Presbyterians from the local churches to help with recovery efforts in Gulfport, Mississippi, at Camp Love between February 16-23, please call Diane Albright (868-3045) or Lynn Domras (569-2361).

Here is a list of members who are not able to be here every Sunday and who would enjoy hearing from you this month: Emily Van Scoter-Pinehurst, 100 Pine Trail, Apt 243, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472; Jayne Honeyman, NEW ADDRESS: 900 Cherry Ridge Blvd, Apt A- 305, Webster, NY 145872-3351; Louise Shoemaker, Hornell Gardens, 434 Hornell St., Hornell, NY l4843 (607-324- 7740); Pauline Olthof, 172 Lakeview Apts 105 Geneva Street, Bath, 14810 (776-5884); Evelyn Percy, 336 Lakeview Apts, Bath, NY 14810 (776- 7421); Elizabeth Hammond, 8 Thorpe Avenue, Hport, NY, 14840 (569-2815); Mary Stratton, Rm 125 Taylor Health, 7571 State Rte, Bath, NY 14810; Ash Kohout, 4401 Bennett's Cove, Williamson, NY 14589 (315-589-3650); Robert Harris, 4 Mechanic Street, Hammondsport, NY 14840 (569-2848).

• The First Presbyterian Churches of Hammondsport and Pulteney: Interim Pastor Anne Waasdorp at both churches: Pulteney at 9:30 AM; Hammondsport at 11:00 AM. At the Port Church there is Bible Study for adults on Sundays at 10:00 A.M. led by Jim Walling. In Pulteney, Bible Study and Prayer on Thursdays at 10:00 A.M. for both churches on Luke.

The Hammondsport Church held a luncheon and carol sing after the service on Sunday, December 2. Thanks to Ellie Boutwell from St. James Episcopal Church for accompanying the group in singing Christmas carols. The winter storm kept many members away and prevented the group from completing the holiday greening of the church. Members met again on Wednesday, December 5, to finish the decorating in time for the Christmas in the Park

+ festivities at the church on

Saturday, December 8.

Please continue sending cards to fellow Hammondsport member Joe Kulik, Nursing Home Care Unit 3, VA Hospital, Bath, NY 14810.