227942 The purchases may pile up,up Serving the communities in Stephenson County , butbut thethe billsbills won’t.won’t. Use your Citizens State Bank VISA® Debit Card for all your holiday shopping. MEMBER Shopper’s Guide Lena • Stockton • Freeport • www.csbnow.com FDIC VOL. 77 • NO. 49 YOUR FREE HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2015 Lena Winter Wonderland celebration starts the holiday season right By Tony Carton family’s old shop serving up Editor cookies and helping Santa with LENA — Visiting with Santa his lists. in downtown Lena is a wonder- “Santa and Mrs. Claus will be ful way to create special holi- here for several hours tonight day memories and dozens of listening to the children and folks, young and old did exact- giving them candy and there is ly that on Friday night during a mail box outside with a direct the annual Winter Wonderland line to the North Pole if anyone celebration staged again this has already written Santa a let- year by the Lena Business and ter,” said Engel. Professional Association. She said the Winter Wonder- “This is our third year and we land celebrations are always a grew a little bit more again,” big thing in Lena. said Paris Hughes who helped “We’ve been having a Christ- organize the parade segment of mas Walk in Lena for as long the celebration. “The weather as I can remember,” Engel said. was great and lots of folks are “This is only the third year for out visiting our downtown and the parade, but it’s growing and enjoying the evening.” people seem to enjoy it.” She said the celebration is a She said there is a lot of foot way to bring that hometown traffic throughout the down- feel back to Lena. town for the celebration. “We started the wonderland “It’s nice when all the busi- project three years ago to help nesses stay open a little later acquaint folks with the shops than usual,” Engel said. “It’s downtown,” she said. “We a chance for folks to come out have a beautiful tree again this and enjoy the start of the holi- year and our school kids make day season.” all the decorations.” Ruth Maedge was busy over One of the highlights of the at the Lena Mercantile. season-long celebration is the “We are staying open late Giving Tree in DeVoe Floral. and hoping we can make our “Folks can come in and take a shoppers happy,” said Maedge. card off the tree and it will have “We have a few little treats and the age and size and Christmas we have samples of fudge and wishes of an area child,” she coffee if people want it.” said. “You shop for what’s on The Mercantile normally closes at 5:30 p.m. seven days the card and wrap it and bring Photo by Tracy Siegner it in and Santa will deliver it.” a week, but Maedge decided to stay late and accommodate Jane West brought her pal Richard to DeVoe’s Floral and Flowers by Paris for a special holi- The LBPA is hosting a num- day treat during last week’s Lena Winter Wonderland celebration ber of activities throughout the folks visiting the downtown town in conjunction with the for the Winter Wonderland cel- little ones to decorate. They can “We have some games for the cat stickers and where to put Winter Wonderland celebration ebration. make a jingle bell necklace and kids to play,” she said. “These the trees and which jelly bean including a window decorating “We are a small community a Christmas Tree bookmark.” are always fun events.” stickers should go on the roof contest for the businesses, a that sticks together and tries to She said the library normally Kenzie Zimmerman was and which on the windows. house decorating contest and a promote themselves as a town attracts about 50 to 60 people decorating a gingerbread house “It’s a gingerbread house,” float competition for the vehi- that works together, she said. for the holiday kickoff celebra- sticker sheet. She was deciding she said. “I’m going to make it cles in the parade. Meanwhile, over at the Lena tion. where to put the people and the nice so Santa will come.” “We just want folks to know Public Library, things were Lena is a great small town really getting busy. with a big heart and we know “Tonight we have cook- how to celebrate the holidays,” ies and cocoa for anyone who Hughes said. drops by,” said Children’s Jean Engel was busy in her Librarian Kathy Andrews. “We also have sticker sheets for the AJ’s Lena Maid Meats Taking orders for your Holiday Hams, Prime Ribs or other Specialty Meats. PUBLISHINGLLC Call Today to Order Your Holiday Meats! ROCK VALLEY ROCK PAID US POSTAGE US 500 West Main Street • Lena, 815-369-4522 Mon - Fri 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Postal Customer **ecrwss **ecrwss Customer Postal PR SRT STD SRT PR Email: [email protected] • www.ajslenamaidmeats.com Sat 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 144571 Page 2 - December 9, 2015 - Shopper’s Guide Lena Christmas Walk Tracy Siegner photos Santa and Mrs Claus had their hands full when Maddox and Ozzie Heimann came downtown Kenzie and Tracie Zimmerman came to the Lena Public to visit during the annual Lena Winter Wonderland celebration Library for crafting during the Lena Winter Wonderland cel- ebration Friday night 227852 Ruth Maedge was kept busy with late night shoppers at the Lena Mercantile during the annual Winter Wonder- land celebration Five year old Chole came with her mom Carri Mapes to see Santa and Mrs Claus and sug- gested she might like an Elsa doll from the movie Frozen for Christmas y 96th Birt 2016 Calendars are now available at Happ hday y auto the following businesses: wer par Cindy’s Beauty Salon, o Used Auto Parts ts Lena Mercantile and m Also From B and B.H. Engel’s Jewelry (Monday only) Buying Junk Cars This year’s theme is “Transportation & Trucks Through the Years” featuring local pictures from all forms of Hours: M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Sat 8 a.m. - Noon transportation. The calendars are 228436 only $6.00 each and is a fundraiser 815-599-0480 for the Lena Historical Society 686 Van Buren, Freeport, IL 60209 Shopper’s Guide - December 9, 2015 - Page 3 LENA LIBRARY NEWS By Dixie Althoff hour as they baked Christmas circle time Christmas songs Leah Remini and Preventing Stop in and take a peek. Library Director cookies and enjoyed them were sung. Jingle the dog Cancer Reducing the Risks by Remember, Santa will be LENA — When you stop in with a hot cup of cocoa. The joined in to bark a Christmas Richard Beliveau. One new with us December 15 from the Library, you will notice downstairs smelled delicious! tune. The kids all had a great Juvenile book: Groundhogs 10 a.m.- 11 a.m. and again it’s beginning to look a lot The Thanksgiving posters that time! Day Off by Robb Pearlman. December 16, 10 a.m. – 11 like Christmas! Ms. Kathy were made a couple weeks Winners of the Thanksgiv- Lots of new books, but we a.m. Plan to stop in and see and I have been busy with ago were judged. Winners ing centerpieces were Char- still have many old children’s the Jolly old elf! decorating. We even have were: Lillian Werhane and lene Foley and Joan Yeakle. books and adult nonfiction on Watch the Shopper’s Guide good old Frosty in the cor- Grady Winter. Congratula- Maurice Holmes was the our sale/donation shelves. for future events. ner. He has managed to find tions on some very nice work! winner of the first snowfall a book about himself to read. Last week the preschool- contest. Congratulations to You notice that he is now ers had Thanksgiving parties. all! Lena Business & Professional wearing glasses, as he is get- They played Turkey bean New wintery fiction: Cross ting on in years! He really is bag toss. Turkey and pump- Justice by James Patterson, Association calendar of events kind of cute!! kin bags were used. When the Bring Me Home for Christ- LENA — November 27 – live music, view our Commu- Story hour and after school bag goes in, all the children mas by Robyn Carr, Secret December 10, Community nity Enchanted Forest and visit groups have been busy with go “gobble, gobble, gobble,” Sisters by Jayne Ann Krentz, Enchanted Forest. The Lena with Santa. Tours of our nearly Thanksgiving and of course, They had lots of fun playing Ashley Bell by Dean Living Center, 1010 S Logan, completed new Medicare wing getting ready for Christmas. that game. Koontz, Precious Gifts by Lena is hosting a Commu- will also be available. Door Last week the after school Pilgrim hats made by Ms. Danielle Steel, Eve by Wm. nity Enchanted Forest in the Prizes. Join Us. group made edible Pilgrim Kathy were enjoyed for a Paul Young, and Key of Valor Living Center. We are ask- December 12, 8 a.m. – 10:30 hats and enjoyed them as a snack. Yes, I had a couple and by Nora Roberts. New Non- ing individuals, businesses, a.m., Lena Community Park snack. They also played Tur- they were quite tasty! fiction: Trouble Maker by organizations and groups to set District presents ‘Breakfast key Bingo. This week they This week started the up a tree of their choosing in with Santa’.