On September 30th, my friend, Joyce, and I couldn't pass up the chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful Fall weather. We decided to take a drive to Nebraska City and visited the Lewis and Clark Center on the southeast edge of town. The timber glistened with the touch of sunlight dripping through the treetops, making them seem like stained-glass windows, shining on the dirt path we walked that was strewn with colorful leaves.
Once we got to the Missouri River overlook deck, the view to the Iowa side stretched for miles. We could also see how the summer's flooding stretched into the Iowa fields from this point.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday coming up next week, please
have your Newsletter items sent in by 5:00 p.m. this Friday,
the 18th.
Christmas 2011 -- Build a New Tradition
The dilemma? What to get ___________ for Christmas?
As the holidays approach, the giant foreign factories are kicking into high gear
to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise
that has been produced at the expense of American labor, but this year can be different.
This year Americans will give the gift of genuine care for other Americans. There
is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced
by American hands. Yes there is!
It's time to think outside the (gift) box. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shoe box, wrap-
ped in expensive paper and bows?
Almost everyone gets their hair cut, so how about gift certificates from your
local American hair salon or barber?
A gym membership is appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health
improvement.
Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail
shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.
Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the cash or credit
card for a foreign-made electronic item? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway
sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the
local golf course.
There are thousands of owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your in-
tended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast
joint. Give enough for a tip, too! Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.
How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a
shop run by the American working guy?
Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning
service for a day.
If you know someone who wants to improve their home, you could give a gift certificate to the
local home improvement store or lumberyard.
You can probably find some young person who is struggling to get his/her computer repair
business up and running.
You could pay for a child's sports or music lessons, but check with their parent first.
Many schools now charge parents for attending their kids' sporting events. How about buying
the parent an event pass?
Were you looking for something a little more personal? Local craft people spin their own wool
and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, pottery, candles and beautiful wooden boxes. Maybe
you know someone who does beautiful crochet work.
And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.
Magazine or newspaper subscriptions can remind them of your generosity with each new issues'
arrival!
Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.
Here's something you can do any time of the year. When you see a person in military uniform
in a restaurant, pay for their meal! What better way to say, 'thank you' for all the unselfish gifts
they give us all year?
Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand lights for the
house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community. If
you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG
tip.
You see, Christmas is also about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses
to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans,
we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't
imagine. THIS SHOULD BE the new American Christmas tradition.
This is a movement to start caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is all about?
(Based on an email I recently received)
RECYCLE SCHEDULES for MURRAY, NEHAWKA & BEAVER LAKE
The CASS COUNTY GOING GREEN recycle trailer will be located on these dates in the following towns:
Nov. 19 - 25, Murray & Nehawka
Nov. 27 - Dec. 2, Beaver Lake
Dec. 3 - 9, Nehawka
Dec. 10 - 16, Murray
Dec. 17 - 23, Beaver Lake
Dec. 24 - 30, Nehawka
Dec. 31 - Jan. 6, Murray
(Murray will also continue to have the recycle bin located behind Town Hall every day, that is for Murray residents' use only.)
Blue Star Mothers and Cass County 4-H Community Service Project
4-H members, leaders and parents who attended the November 6 Achievement
party on the Cass County fairgrounds brought enough items to fill ten care packages
for United States military personnel who are stationed overseas.
This Community Service project of the 4-Hers is a partnership with the Blue Star
Mothers chapter in Nebraska City. The chapter hopes to get enough donated items
to fill a total of thirty boxes for Christmas this year.
Anyone wishing to help with this effort is encouraged to drop items off at the Cass
County Extension office located on the Cass County fairgrounds (144th Street and
Hwy 1) until November 30. Personal care items can be deodorant, after shave,
cologne, female hygiene products, shampoo, body wash, sunscreen, baby powder,
diaper wipes, bar soap, hand lotion, hand sanitizer, travel packs of facial tissue, lip
salve (tube), nail files. Food items can be dried fruit, sunflower seeds, gum, peanut
butter, nuts, cookies, crackers, hard candy (not chocolate), pudding or gelatin snack
packs, powdered drink mixes to flavor water, licorice, beef jerky. They would also
welcome magazines, crossword puzzles, sudoku puzzles, word finds, deck of cards,
pen and paper, greeting cards, envelopes, toys for them to hand out, flip-flops.
Kim Schneider of the Nebraska City chapter of Blue Star Mothers is pictured with
some of the many items donated by 4-H families.
NEHAWKA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH to HOLD ANNUAL AUCTION!
The annual auction held by the United Methodist Church in Nehawka is a tradition which began forty eight years ago! Members and friends of the little white church on the corner in Nehawka come together each year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day to raise money for mission work, community support, and general expenses of the church. Gene Sisco, well-known auctioneer from Otoe, has been seeking out the highest bidder for forty-two years!
The bidding begins this year on Sunday, November 20 at 1:00 p.m. at the Community Building in Nehawka, but don’t wait until 1:00 to show up! Homemade soups and goodies will be served from 11:30 to 1:00 as people gather to visit, look over the auction items, and catch up all on the news of the townspeople.
Prior to the big day of the auction, members and friends of the church are busy making home-made salsa, spaghetti sauce, or horseradish. Our ladies embroider, crochet, knit, paint, and make purses or other crafts all year to entice bidders and in past years a quilt or two have shown up to bring a nice bid too. The men use their skills to craft homemade items from wood, iron, or other materials.
Numerous attendees can be counted on to not only attend the auction each year, but to bid generously on a homemade gooseberry pie or freshly made homemade noodles. Dr. Bill Schlichtemeier and wife Jeanette make the annual trek to Nehawka in search of Betty Hansen’s homemade cinnamon rolls. Bill’s mother, Helen is famous for her beautiful crocheted baby booties and baby blankets. Jars of fresh canned goods are plentiful, as well as cookies, candies and other treats. You just never know what will show up at the auction, but you can count on there being something for everyone of every age. Sisco is particularly adept at drawing excellent bids from children who are sitting on grandpa’s lap! One never knows how much Grandpa Kermit will bid on a toy truck or tractor.
Those who have been attending the auction for years remember the meat from the locker donated by Howard and Helen Heesch and the eggs and homemade horse radish from Ruth and Wildon Switzer.
Services, tools, household items and gift certificates are donated by area businesses and we express our sincere thanks to those who support our church and community. The generosity of many businesses makes this auction the success that it is. A community event which requiresthe dedication and work of many turns out to be a tremendous fund-raiser, but it’s always more than just a fund raiser. It’s a time of community, a time of laughter, and a time of encouragement.
“We raise money for God’s glory” says Pastor Sandy Webster. “The blessings that abound that day are just a bonus!"
This year a unique door prize will be given to some lucky person and for the first year we will also have a table of silent auction baskets and items. A generous vacation package will also be awar-ded to the highest bidder at a very nice time-share at a location of your choice. A Nebraska quilt will go home with the highest bidder.
All are invited to join in the fun, food, fellowship and fundraising! Come and bid! And bid for a good reason—God’s work in action for the Nehawka community and surrounding area. We hope to see you there as this tradition continues and remains close to the hearts of the people of
The United Methodist Church in Nehawka.
The Nehawka Community Center is at the southeast corner of Elm and Sherman streets.
The Otoe County Genealogical Society will hold its December 8th meeting at the
Unadilla Community Library at 770 'G' Street in Unadilla, Nebraska at 7:00pm.
Our guest speaker will be Raymond "Chuck" Waymire, who will give a presentation
on “Scottish Genealogical Research.” Mr. Waymire is of Scottish descent and is
the author of 5 genealogical reference books. So if you have Scottish ancestors,
Mr. Waymire will have some helpful guidance and suggested tools for you to use
in your research!
DECEMBER EVENTS at ART CHICKS!
Ringing In The Season!
Saturday, December 3rd
11:30 and 1:00
Special Luncheon at Art Chicks
Call 234-2669 to reserve your spot. Gather your girlfriends for a fun day
enjoying Louisville's Shops, Santa, Flea Market and Crafts!
Special Holiday Menu for the Month of December:
Unlimited Glasses of "Holiday Gifts" Iced Tea
Roast Beef Foccaccia Sandwich
Cranberry Pecan Salad
1920s Waldorf Astoria Red Cake
KIDS PARTY AT 2:30 with special kids menu featuring flower sandwiches, fruit kabobs, ginger drip and pink lemonade. Bring Grandma and all the generations can dance together. Kids shopping area with affordable presents for everyone on their list. Free Gift wrapping!
Chrismas Camp
December 10th
Learn how to do it all!
O.k. not really...but we will learn some tricks, short cuts and laugh the holiday stress away. Gather those women you know do too much and have a fun couple of hours away.
Call 402-234-2669 to make a your plan to stop planning so much!
YES! Art Chicks does parties everyday!
YES! We are available any day of the week.
Yes! We can fit your budget from $8.00 per person to $15.00 per person.
NOOOO! We do not have any rental fees!
Yeahhhh! Make your holiday party planning easy.
Call today 402-234-2669.
PLAN a NEBRASKA ROAD TRIP
Now thru Nov 30
Explore American Indian Heritage Month
Fontenelle Forest, Bellevue
Nov 25
Christmas at Union Station Tree Lighting Ceremony
The Durham Museum, Omaha
Dec 5–11
Father Flanagan’s Irish Christmas
Boys Town
See more at VisitNebraska.gov
Ringing In The Season
In Louisville
Saturday, December 3rd
Santa & Mrs. Clause
Sleigh Rides
Craft Show
And MUCH more!
More info to come!
ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL
Championship fiddler and fiddle book author, Deborah Greenblatt, will discuss various ways to
perform that classic fiddle tune, Orange Blossom Special. This wonderful piece encourages
improvisation, giving the fiddler opportunities to make their fiddle sound just like a train.
The Workshop takes place on Saturday, November 19, 2011, 1 PM - 3 PM, in the Old Avoca
Schoolhouse, Avoca, Nebraska.
Pre-registration is required, enrollment is limted, and there is a $20.00 fee.
For more info, or to register, call 402-275-3221, or send an e-mail to debby@greenblattandseay.com.
HOW to SUBMIT ARTICLES for this NEWSLETTER...
Event announcements and advertising can be an enormous expense when
you're wanting or needing to get the word out. If you've checked into regular
newspaper pricing lately for such items, you'll know what I'm talking about. So
why spend your hard-earned money, when you can accomplish the same thing
right here - FREE - on your local news website?
Below is a list of categories that will cost you absolutely nothing, except the
time to submit it, (which you'd have to do with a regular newspaper anyway):
Wedding / Engagement Announcements and Photos
Birth Announcements
Letters to the Editor
Birthday Greeting
Upcoming Events
Cards of Thanks
Lost and Found
Obituaries
Recipes
and So Much More.
That's right! These are all items that can appear FREE of CHARGE
in each Wednesday's Murray Newsletter and/or Calendar!
All YOU have to do is send the information to us - it's that simple!
Deadline for submissions to each week's Wednesday Newsletter is
NO LATER THAN NOON on the prior MONDAY. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, PLEASE SUBMIT ARTICLES NO LATER THAN
5PM on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18th, for the FOLLOWING WEEK'S NEWSLETTER.
1.) You may call your information to 402-235-2926,
Leave a voice mail with your name phone number.
2.) Email your story to Editor@MurrayNebraska.com
NO 'zip' files, please, and send photos in jpg format, if possible,
no larger than 340 x 480 pixels. (Picnik.com is a FREE photo editing website
where you can edit your photos before submitting them. Try it, it's easy - and FREE!)
3.) Send items via the U.S. postal service to:
Editor, MurrayNebraska.com
201 N How Ave, Murray, NE, 68409-8403.
(When mailing items you'd like to get back, please enclose a self-addressed,
stamped envelope.)
Remember to include 'who, what, when, where and why', along with any other
helpful details, such as a contact person and phone.
Thanks for helping to keep YOUR Murray Newsletter fresh and up-to-date!
www.MurrayNebraska.com
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