The

MEGAPHONE

Elwood, Indiana                      Elwood High School(s)

Volume 7, No. 12                                                                                Friday, December 1, 2006

  Contents

-- Page numbers are active links --

Page 1 . . . In and Around Your Hometown -- Nancy Sumner

Page 2 . . . Panther Den Birthday & Anniversary Calendar -- Nancy Sumner (Our Calendar Girl)

                                Numb3rs -- Fuzzy Logik

Page 3 . . . Military Maneuvers (continued) -- Dewey W. Smith

Page 4 . . . The Florida Outback -- Edith (Pritchard) Alexander

Page 5 . . . The Library -- Dick Cleaver

Page 6 . . . Christmas at Our House, Long, Long Ago -- Julie (Stout) Crim

In and Around Your Hometown

by Nancy Sumner

Live Nativity 

Sunday night, November 26, 2006, the beginning of the Christmas season came into your hometown!  I had never had or taken the opportunity to see the live nativity parade in uptown Elwood. This year I took the time to see what was going on. I’m glad I did! Every year, although no one seems to remember for how long, on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, the First United Methodist Church brings a live nativity to Elwood for a few hours. Some of the parishioners dress in costume of the days of Bethlehem and Mary and Joseph. The little ones are shepherds or angels. The parade started at South B Street and Anderson and marched north to the church at North A and Anderson Street. It was lead by two trumpeters followed by the angels, shepherds, wise men, Mary and Joseph and the animals. Sheep, pygmy goats, burros and even two camels marched in the procession.  When we got to the church, there were some larger goats and a calf. 

The church welcomed all to come inside for Christmas music programs and cookies with hot chocolate or coffee. In one of the upper rooms there was a display of 40-50 nativity sets that the congregation members brought in from their own collection. All different and unique and quite beautiful.  

The day continued with the Festival of Lights at Callaway Park. This has become a very nice feature in your hometown park! This might be the 4th year and it just keeps getting better and bigger! As always, the hard work of Ranger Dan and his crew along with the Festival of Lights committee and a sorority or two pays off for all to enjoy! We now have a Miss Snowflake contest for 9 – 11 year olds. There were about 15 or so in the contest and collecting a penny a vote. Miss Snowflake will be crowned after this deadline. They were all so cute. The monies collected all goes to local charities. And what would be Christmas without the jolly man in red with white fur! There were probably 50 – 60 youngsters waiting to tell Santa what their wish would be for Christmas morning! After the little program inside the shelter house, the lights were switched and the park just glowed! 

There were many vehicles traveling through the park Sunday night. The park lights will be on from dusk to 11 p.m. nightly through Dec. 30. 

It was a busy day, but an enjoyable day! And of course, I had my camera! Hopefully you’ll be able to enjoy some of the same sites I did. As you read this, I will have uploaded a new photo album to our Yahoo Den pages full of pictures from the parade to the church to the park.  

Your Hometown Reporter,

Nancy Sumner

Elwood, IN