Columbia/Hellam/Wrightsville
Faith, Fun and Fall Festivities
BY CAT SHANNON
On Friday, Oct. 31, the parking lot of Wrightsville Assembly of God will transform into a Community Fall Fest, offering families an opportunity to collect candy, play games and enjoy a free meal. The festival will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the church, 365 Orange St., Wrightsville.
“This will be our 13th annual Community Fall Fest,” said pastor Aaron McNatt. “The idea originated with the desire to make connections and build relationships with our local community.”
When McNatt became lead pastor in 2013, one question came to the forefront of his mind: “If our church closed its doors tomorrow, who would care?”
“I knew that for our church to fulfill the vision God placed in my heart, ‘Leading people from where they are to where God wants them to be,’ then we would have to begin by meeting people where they are,” he shared.
The community’s trick-or-treat night made for perfect timing, he said, noting, “Oct. 31 felt like the easiest opportunity to begin to build relationships. After all, it’s the one night of the year when the neighbors all come knocking on our door.”
McNatt and his team were determined to make the church - the house of God - the best house to go to
Holiday Treasures and Homemade Treats
BY CAT SHANNON
Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?
Whether you have or not, you’ll find just what you’re looking for at the Olde Salem Craft Bazaar. The event will be held in the social hall at the rear of Historic Salem United Church of Christ (UCC), 324 Walnut St., Columbia, on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Shoppers can peruse fall and
Christmas décor, Mary Kay products, toys, jewelry, handmade dolls, plants, books, teacup gnomes and teacup floral arrangements. New merchandise will include toys, clothing, household goods and Christmas items.
Several chance items will be up for grabs, including a peace basket, Lego sets, a gift card giveaway basket, a local business basket, a cozy basket and a health and beauty basket.
BY CAT SHANNON
When the organizers of the holiday bazaar at Ironville United Methodist Church say they have something for everyone, they’re not kidding. The church’s annual event will feature craft vendors, a white elephant room, a kids’ area and lots of homemade food.
The bazaar will be held at the church, 4020 Holly Drive, Columbia, on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We will have 17 outside vendors selling crafts and 24 vendors in all, including the church tables,” said Marge Osborne, who is on the bazaar committee. Vendors will sell sewn and knitted items, jewelry, primitive décor and more. A group of women from the church get together regularly to make craft items that will be for sale as well, and Marge will sell homemade aprons, among other items. Her husband, Bob, who is also on the committee, will sell painted Christmas balls.
“We’ll also have a bake sale table, where we have Amish apple dumplings,” Marge said, noting that sugar-free options will be available as well.
The baked goods table is always a popular spot, said bazaar committee member William Bulett.
“Come to our bazaar because of the fabulous food,” he shared. “We have many great bakers in this church.”
Along with cakes, pies, cookies and more, food will include homemade chicken corn soup and homemade barbecue, as well as hot dogs, chips and drinks.
“You can eat here at tables we set up or take your food to go,”
Enjoying a previous year’s Community Fall Fest are Jill (left) and Mitch Meador with their children.
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What’s That Noise?
Automobiles have come a long way since their introduction more than 100 years ago. The cars of today are technological marvels, which has made both driving and maintaining a vehicle simpler in certain ways. For example, built-in diagnostic systems can now alert drivers when something is wrong with their car. Although that feature is undeniably useful, drivers can still benefit from learning to recognize issues by ear. Many problems that can affect a car or truck produce unusual sounds, and learning what certain noises may indicate can help drivers detect problems as soon as possible.
- Rattling sound in a wheel well: Many people have mistakenly placed clothing in a dryer without realizing the clothing had spare change in the pockets. That mistake is immediately apparent once the dryer starts thanks to the unpleasant noise of coins bouncing off the interior of the machine. Drivers may hear a similar sound when behind one of their car’s wheels and wonder what’s
Bazaar
behind it. Such a sound often indicates that there’s a loose lug nut inside the hubcap. This issue can arise when drivers don’t secure the wheel tightly after changing their own tire or if mechanics make the same mistake when rotating or replacing tires during a routine maintenance session.
- Squeaking sound: The auto insurance experts at Geico note that rearwheel or four-wheel drive vehicles may produce a rhythmic squeaking sound when an issue arises with the universal joint. JD Power notes that the universal joint, often referred to as a U-joint, is part of the system that enables the rotating crankshaft in the engine of a vehicle to transfer that rotating motion to the rear wheels. U-joints get a workout whenever vehicles are driven, so they require maintenance, and a squeaking sound is one indicator that the U-joint needs to be addressed immediately.
- Squealing sound: A high-pitched squealing sound typically means the vehicle’s brake pads are worn out. However, Cars. com notes that if such a sound is only present when a car is first driven in the morning, it could just be surface rust being scraped off the rotors. After a few initial applications of the brakes, the sound might disappear. If it doesn’t, the vehicle will likely need new brake pads.
- Scraping on the windshield during rain : The scraping sound on a windshield when the wipers are in use should not be taken lightly or be interpreted as a sign that the rain is only falling lightly. In fact, that sound indicates the wipers are worn out, which means they’re not effectively clearing the windshield. In addition, the wipers could be scratching the windshield each time they produce this sound, ultimately necessitating a costly windshield replacement. Wiper blades can be replaced in a matter of minutes, so address this issue promptly.
Learning to recognize the sources of various vehicle noises can help drivers nip problems in the bud before they compromise the automobile and the safety of the people inside it.
said bazaar committee member Wendy Wissinger.
“We also sell soup to go by the quart.”
Wendy; William; and William’s wife, Linda, work in the white elephant room of the bazaar, collecting items for several weeks leading up to the event.
“The idea of the white elephant room is most of things are not priced,” Linda said, adding that shoppers can pay what they feel the item is worth to them. Some nicer items are priced, she noted.
White elephant items include Christmas and other holiday décor, kitchen items, housewares and much more.
“Items are all donated by church members, family and friends,” William said.
Across the hall from the white elephant room, a kids’ area will be set up, with toys and books for sale.
“We will also have someone in that room doing crafts with any children who are interested,” Wendy said.
A silent auction will be featured at the bazaar as well, with opportunities
to win a variety of items.
“What we have in the auction varies every year depending on what we can get,” Wendy said. “We’ve had quilts in the past, flower arrangements, gift cards, plants.” Silent auction winners do not need to be present to win.
The church has held the bazaar for decades, providing a fun community event. Proceeds are used to support church projects and outreach missions.
“It’s a really fun day,” Linda said, encouraging people to come to the bazaar. “It’s kind of like we’re one big family, because people come back year after year.”
Parking is available in a large lot at the church. People should enter the bazaar in the back of the building. The entrance and bazaar space are handicapped-accessible, and a handicapped-accessible restroom is available inside.
Ironville United Methodist Church holds Sunday worship service at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call the church at 717-6848072 or visit www.iron villeumc.org.
Fight Hunger Fall Fest Slated
Wrightsville Presbyterian Church, 205 N. Second St., Wrightsville, will hold the Fight Hunger Fall Fest on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature live music, a bounce house, giveaway drawings, games, face painting, a balloon artist, seasonal
crafts, and local food vendors. It is co-sponsored by Wrightsville for All.
Admission is free, but people are asked to bring a nonperishable food donation or hygiene item to benefit the Eastern York Food Pantry and The Giving Table.
Showcasing items in the white elephant room of the Ironville United Methodist Church bazaar are (from left) Linda Bulett, William Bulett, Bob Osborne and Wendy Wissinger. Photo by Cat Shannon