Bringing the FREE Creston Valley together. December 2013 Branching Out Blossom Valley Singers continue Christmas tradition Mayor’s First Desk History Nations Holiday Train inspires The day the Globetrotters Reminiscing about food bank challenge came to town Christmas on the rez Inside... Pull-out Section Greetings, holiday characters, lore, trivia, puzzles, recipes, crafts and more! Christmasis all Wrapped Up with the best toy selection in town Games, puzzles and toys for all ages! 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WEBSITE www.ilovecreston.com December 2013 3 this issue The procession took time, which was filled “That’s why we went from the Singing Guest with musical accompaniment. Christmas Tree to Singing in the Christmas From the editor “You were constantly apologizing to the Trees, and our posters reflected that,” person in the next row down because you Lavender says. “Maybe we can sort of drop argaret Lavender isn’t afraid of heights, were bumping them on the head with your that image (now).” but that doesn’t mean her turns atop M music folder,” Lavender says. “It was usually In fact they have, at least in name, with A the Singing Christmas Tree were devoid of sopranos up near the top. I was at the very Winter Wonderland set to be performed white-knuckle moments. top many times. at the Prince Charles Theatre on Dec. 13 “I do remember being encouraged not to “The older we got, the greyer the heads, the and 15, although the singers will still be move with the music because it does start tougher it was (to decide): ‘Who’s going to surrounded by trees on the stage. to (sway),” says the veteran member of the the top of the tree?’ ” No matter what you call it, the Blossom Blossom Valley Singers. “You can move Valley Singers’ show is not one to be missed, your head but you can’t move your body Not everyone’s experience singing at and represents a Christmas tradition of because when everybody starts getting going altitude was as positive as Lavender’s. which the Creston Valley can be proud. it was not so comfortable.” “I had one student who was very young. When we came into a practice I said, Learn more about the choral group in “It does feel a little bit like a skyscraper, this month’s I Love Creston cover story, (being) on scaffolding or something,” ‘We’ve got to practice in the tree,’ and (he said), ‘I want to go to the top of the tree, and to all our readers, have a very merry chimes in Erwin Buchholz, the BVS Christmas. president. Mrs. Lavender.’ I said, ‘OK. You go.’ So he went up to the very top and just froze and The pair were reminiscing about the Singing the tears started coming. I had to go up and Christmas Tree in advance of this year’s get him. presentation of A Winter Wonderland, an offshoot of the Singing in the Christmas “When he came down he said, ‘Do you Mailbag Trees concert put on the past two years. want to know why I was so scared? I looked (Letters and emails to the editor are up and then I looked down and I realized printed as written with the exception of When Trinity United Church closed its profanity, slander or defamation) sanctuary for financial reasons the Singing how close I was to the roof.’ He was only Christmas Tree – too tall for any other about seven at the time.” The Editor, I Love Creston performance venue in the valley – had to be An older youth encountered an unwelcome With this year’s Remembrance Week having just passed, Branch 29 of the Royal Canadian retired. It was last performed in 2010 but surprise of a different sort on another Legion wish to thank the residents of the will long be fondly remembered by anyone occasion. Creston Valley and the East Shore for their who witnessed it. “There were wasps that liked to winter in support and attendance at our Cenotaph Standing 18 feet tall and sitting 16 feet the building, up above. Of course they’re services on November 11. We also appreciate your very generous contributions to our wide, the steel-framed, plywood-floored, quite dozy, but when you have the heat poppy campaign. pyramid-shaped structure was built in 1992 on, they perk up,” Lavender says. “I had a The success of these annual events require by the Prince Charles Secondary School student choir in there and all of a sudden many hard working volunteers, the technology education class taught by Glen I realized something was going on. People continuing support of our businesses, service Mohr. were laughing and (the boy at the top) organizations, churches, and you, the public, who contribute so generously to honour our The tree accommodated up to 40 choir was going cross-eyed and waving his head veterans on their special day. members who filed up a set of camouflaged around. He was under attack. Somehow he This year our poppy campaign and cenotaph stairs on the right side and into ever- dealt with it. I don’t know how.” service were very successful. We are indeed That tree, designed with the help of then- fortunate to have our local flying club honour narrowing rows from which they performed the event with their flyover and the ‘lost an annual December concert for nearly two choir member Tony Frei, was actually the man’ formation. We thank everyone who decades. second one employed by the BVS, the attended the service to pay their respects It took a day to assemble the tree pieces, original 12-foot version having been built to our veterans, those whose names are on our Honour Roll, those who served, and another day to decorate it with cedar out of wood in 1989 under the direction of John Hopcraft. those personnel still serving their country. boughs, bows and lights, and a full day to Your respect and remembrance are much tear it down, recalls Buchholz, noting that “(It) was much smaller and somewhat appreciated. the frame held up well. rickety and they felt they should maybe We hope to see you in the coming year retire that one,” Buchholz says. at other Legion events and activities. You “Do the math,” he says. “Forty times 150 don’t have to have a miliatary connection to pounds equals a conservative estimate of So much did the Singing Christmas Tree become a Legion member. Membership is a 6,000 pounds, or three tons. come to define the Blossom Valley Singers good opportunity to become involved in your “We had to load the tree from the bottom that when they changed formats in 2011 community. they took care not to depart entirely from On Behalf Of. R.C.L. Branch 29, to the top for obvious reasons. You needed Ian Currie, Poppy Chairman the ballast.” their storied past. 4 December 2013 www.ilovecreston.com Blossom Valley Singers With or without the tree Choir makes smooth transition to new format Photos courtesy of Larry Mendoza h Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, your theme, it Christmas tree,’ ” says BVS president Erwin Buchholz. Oever binds me. “Was it the end of the world or was it, ‘Oh well, let’s just see what they do at PCSS?’ ” The Blossom Valley Singers sang that refrain for two decades in which their annual December concert – the Messing with tradition, especially one connected to Singing Christmas Tree – became a much-anticipated Christmas, can be treading on thin ice. But as it turned holiday staple that largely defined the Creston choral out, a move from Trinity United Church to Prince group. Charles Theatre and a fresh format – Singing in the Christmas Trees – proved to be a win-win scenario for the That changed suddenly in 2011 when circumstances vocalists and their faithful followers.