2012 Eye On Gift Guide

Eye On www.eyeonmag.com

December 2012

Independence

2012 Gift Guide Christmas Memories Ye Olde Christmasse Madrigal Feaste A Publication of Meadowland Media, Inc.

Great Gift Ideas Under $50

Great Gift Ideas Under $150

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas “My favorite memory would be gathering at my Grand MMhers house in Jamestown with all

my cousins and eating a delicious Christmas dinner and exchanging giis. The house was packed because my mmher had an extremely large family. AAer dinner my cousins and I would explore the 100 acre farm. Great memories!!!” - Batesville Mayor Rick Elumbaugh “I have been extremely blessed as a child and adult throughout the years at Christmas. As a child, my family would spend Christmas Eve at my grandmmher's house for dinner and she would always buy my older sister and me matching pajamas. My favorite Christmas memory was

the year my sister and I came racing down the stairs to see what Santa had brought. We found a cardboard box jumping around under the tree. Inside was a precious cocker spaniel puppy with a big red bow around its neck! Each year I look forward to seeing all the beautiful lights and

decorations, shopping, and spending holiday time with family and friends.”

Margaret Elumbaugh, 6th Grade T eacher-Batesville West Magnet “All five boys would gather at mom’s house for Christmas. We would rent out the local gym and play, eat, visit, exchange presents…The final activity each year was the annual marshmallow fight.

There was a ll

fun and a liile bruising from the stale ones.”

Roger Ried – Southside Principal

Great Gift Ideas Under $250 ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

“My favorite memory is going to the Christmas Eve candlelight service at the First Christian Church in Blytheville, AR. My family filled a pew, and it was enjoyable to see all the family and friends who were visiting hers members. The choir sang “O Holy Night,” the minister read the Christmas story, and then we all walked down the aisle as a family to take Communion.

When each family finished, we picked up a candle and formed a huge circle around the church. When all had taken their places, the minister read a scripture, lit his candle from the Christmas candle, and lit the person’s candle on either side him. In this way, the light made its way around the church. In the dim light holy candles, we sang “Silent Night” A Cappella. This is such a simple tradition, but one that my family misses greatly.” Stephanie Miller, English Teacher–Southside

“One my favorite Christmas memories when I was a liile kid ((her than what I wore for every holiday, yes...I am the person who always remembers what I wore) has to do with baking. We would make sugar cookies, and my mama would do diierent frosting colors and sprinkles, and we would get to decorate (and eat) so many cookies!”

Leigh Keller – Eye On Writer

Ye Olde Christmasse Madrigal Feaste The Ye Olde Christmasse Madrigal Feaste is in its 18th year of preparation. The feast is a re-creation of an early Renaissance winter festival. If you lived in England during the sixteenth century, and were lucky enough to be one of the favored banquet guests, you would be dazzled with stunning pageantry, bawdy humor, endless amounts of succulent food, and music. The line between sacred and secular would be thinly drawn. One moment you might be regaled with risqué humor, and the next you might listen to, or sing, the most exquisite and ethereal religious music.

It is the goal of the program to provide an escape, at least for a few hours, from the stress-filled, work-aday world and the hustle and bustle of the modern Christmas. The journey back in time will begin at 6:30 with stories, magic, and brass fanfares.

Upon arrival at South Castle (which is in the Southside Middle School Cafetorium), you and your party will be heralded to the audience and then escorted to your table by serving wenches and pages who will attend to your every dining need! Unique additions to the dinner include a presentation from the Royal Wizards, Jon Bucher and Tyler Vodehnal, and storytelling presented by Artist in Residence, Melinda Lafevers. Angie Weaver, the Southside Madrigal

Director, noted, “We have been so fortunate to have these performers at the dinner for the last several years. They add so much to the atmosphere and excitement.” The jester for this year’s feast is going to be Jeremy Hall, who was the assistant director until this school year.

Guests will enjoy the Wassail Bowl, the Procession of the Boar’s Head, French onion soup, beef tenderloin, green bean bundles, twice-baked potatoes, whole loaves of bread, and flaming dessert. (The menu is not set in stone at this point.) “The Southside cafeteria staff works hard to make sure that the meal is of high quality. We are proud that people compliment, not only the musical aspect of the dinner, but the food as well,” said Weaver. After dinner, the Madrigal Ensemble will entertain with seasonal songs.

The Southside High School Senior Madrigals is an auditioned ensemble made up of twenty-four 9th through 12th graders. The Senior Madrigals have received consistent superior ratings at Regional and State Choral Performance Assessments and other national festivals. More recently, in the spring of 2012, they were awarded Best in Class out of all Arkansas 4A schools competing at State Festival, and received sweepstakes status for having all superior ratings at the Region Choral

Ritz Cracker Mock Apple Pie recipe

2 cups sugar 2 tsp cream of tartar 1-3/4 cups water Zest and 2 Tbsp. juice from 1 lemon 1 pkg. (14.1 oz.) ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts) 36 RITZ Crackers, coarsely broken (about 1-3/4 cups) 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, cut into small pieces 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Performance Assessment and State Festival. They received the highest scores given to any Class 1A-7A ensemble in the state. Members of the choir have also been chosen for All-Region and All-State choirs in addition to SWACDA and National ACDA Honor Choirs. The group, which rehearses at 7 a.m. two and three days a week, also performs at civic functions throughout the year and strives for excellence in choral music.

Tickets will go on sale November 7. (The price has not been set at this point.) Tickets purchased by November 30 will be at a discounted rate. Advanced tickets are required and can be obtained by calling Southside School at 870-251-2341 or 870-612-2846. So now is come our joyful'st feast let every man be jolly.

N

Rolo Turtle Delights

3 packages Rolo’s (makes 2 dozen) 1 bag pretzels 1 bag Pecan Halves

Pre-heat oven to 350*F Line cookie sheet with parchment paper Place 1 Rolo on each pretzel Heat in oven for 3 minutes Remove from oven place one pecan half MIX sugar and cream of tartar in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in water. on top of each Rolo and gently push down. Let cool and enjoy!

Bring to boil on high heat; simmer on low heat 5 min. or until mixture is Jennifer Walls - Owner, Studio Salon reduced to 1-1/2 cups. Stir in zest and juice; cool 30 min.

HEAT oven to 425°F. Roll out 1 crust on lightly floured surface to 11-inch circle; place in 9-inch pie plate. Place cracker crumbs in crust. Pour sugar syrup over crumbs; top with butter and cinnamon.

ROLL out remaining crust to 10-inch circle; place over pie. Seal and flute edge. Cut several slits in top crust to permit steam to escape.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until golden brown. Cool.

Lisa Caplinger – Owner, Signature Baskets, Flowers & Gifts

Dear Santa Bob Pest

We all know that your helpers at the North Pole work shop work year-round to make the toys and other presents you deliver around the world on Christmas Eve. What many people don't realize is that you have helpers all over the world who help the rest of us keep the spirit of Christmas alive all year round.

Here in Batesville we have a number of your helpers who work to make our small rural community a great place to live. I want to thank you for sending the following helpers to us. Dave Timko is the most generous person I have ever met. In addition to managing his Daylight Donuts operation, Dave provides donuts, cookies, and other treats to many of our non-profit organizations for benefits and special events; he also cooks burgers and hot dogs for the Boy Scouts who participate in the annual White River Canoe Race and for the T Tauri Movie Camp students.

Daylight Donuts also serves as a visitors center, keeping a supply of free tourism magazines and other publications (including this one) that contain valuable information about the region.

Barry Hammers does an outstanding job managing the Flowers Baking Company, one of Batesville's most successful businesses. He also contributes buns and other bakery items to help local organizations with their events. Those of us who hold those events know we can count on Barry and Flowers Baking Company.

Tony Stephens, manager of our local Pepsi operation, also helps our area non-profits and other community organizations by providing Pepsi products. Tony is also very active in the community and accepted the leadership role in organizing and managing the annual White River Water Carnival this year.

Nicole Stroud makes a different kind of contribution. Nicole is the founder and director of the Ozark Foothills Literacy Project. One in five adults in Arkansas lacks basic literacy skills. These parents have trouble reading to their children and helping them with school assignments. Nicole and her two AmeriCorps Volunteers and assistance from Independence County Head Librarian Vanessa Adams hold monthly family readings, conduct one-on-one tutorials for adults with reading levels below the 8th grade level, and offer ESL (English as a Second Language) tutoring for students who do not read, write, or speak English fluently.

Vonda Oberbeck is the executive director of our United Way, which supports sixteen agencies. Vonda served as a volunteer coordinator and on the board of directors before becoming executive director three years ago. One of her many friends says that “she

bleeds United Way blue.” Vonda is fortunate to have Kevin Rose as the United Way vice-president and 2012 campaign chairman. Kevin is the president of Liberty Bank in Batesville and is very active in a number of community projects. Both Vonda and Kevin practice what they preach: “Live United.”

Like Kevin, our other local bank presidents do everything they can to enrich our community. Dale Cole, at First Community Bank, helped launch the Ozark Foothills FilmFest and continues to support the annual festival. Dale also supports an extensive list of community organizations, charities, and initiatives that will improve the quality of life in and around Batesville. First Community Bank has a number of branches in both Arkansas and Missouri, but Batesville is clearly the top priority. John Dews, president of Citizen's Bank, has devoted his efforts to providing grants and loans to Main Street businesses for repairs and improvements to their building; he has also been active in supporting the area schools. Lee DeBerry, president of Southern Bank, is the new guy on the block, but is already involved in supporting the community on a number of fronts.

There are many more of your helpers who really contribute to our community: John and Bobby Kent treat the customers who frequent Kent's Firestone fullservice auto maintenance operation like family; Diane White, owner and operator of Elizabeth's Restaurant, makes her restaurant available for special community events; and WRD Entertainment, publishing a free weekly paper that focuses on community happenings and is delivered free to over 20,000 homes by mail.

Debbie Harrison, manager of the award-winning Comfort Suites Hotel has done an incredible job; our film festival guests are full of praise about the “Comfort” experience.

So Santa, I want to thank you on behalf of our community for sending us so many helpers. I can't fail to mention Cathy Drew, executive director of the Ozark Gateway Tourist Council, and Colleen Jackson, in the same position at the Batesville Area Arts Council.

Finally, Autumn Hunter prepares and delivers a free lunch to our hungry neighbors once a week.

Small rural communities can only succeed and prosper with helpers like the ones we are fortunate to call our friends and leaders. We'll all be waiting for you on Christmas Eve. If you have time, stop by Daylight Donuts and pick up a copy of Eye on Independence.

You'll be glad you did.

N

6 Happy Holidays to you and yours from all of us here at EYE ON INDEPENDENCE!

Great Gift Ideas Under $350 ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas “Somewhere around 1983, we spent Christmas up in Elizabeth, a tiny community f Hwy62 where my grandparents lived. I remember hiking out into the hills with my dad to cut

down our tree. Either because it was too tall, or because my Grandma Byers's house was just too small, the tree ended up out on the porch. We strung it with those old-fashioned C9 bulbs that would melt your skin f when

they gg hh. And icicles - tons silvery, twisting icicles moved with the puus frigid air. Of course I'll always remember that

Christmas morning, banging out the house as soon as I woke, my feet freezing on the concrete, my breath visible before me. I found a baton with metallic pink paint and fat white ends, just what I'd wanted. But what I'll remember more is the beauty that tree on an Ozark Christmas Eve; the smell

winter all around me: wood smoke, cedar, frost; and the love grandparents now gone.

It is a cherished memory.”

Kristi Price – Eye On writer

“We would all pile in the car and my dad would drive us around to look at Christmas lights. Some the people in my hometown Downey, CA were connected with Disney.

One family had a yard with a miniature electrical train with figures that even moved through the train cars, including Santa Claus. It was very impressive and completely magical for kids. Then it was back to the house for hh chocolate. Midnight mass followed later.”

T im Bennett, Spanish T eacher - Southside.

“As a child growing up, Christmas Eve was always reserved for Grandma Angeline's house. It was a plain simple house and they were plain simple people. The physical giis weren't large but the meal was and the crowd definitely was because everybody came there on Christmas Eve. All the kids and grandkids worked their schedules around her Christmas. We visited and played and ate, and ate, and ate some more. It was special because she was so special. We lost her about 10 years ago and Christmas will never be the same. Christmas is still a wonderful time spent with my family, and my kids but Christmas is just nn Christmas if we can't have Christmas Eve dinner at Grandma Angie's house. The great news is that the real reason for Christmas is Jesus and she is with him. Someday I will celebrate his biih with her in heaven. I'll bet she will even have me some baked ham and sweet ppatoes and pecan pie.” Jason Weaver – T eacher/Coach Southside

December 2012 | 7

Thompson’s Jewelry

Great Gift Ideas Under $950

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas “I can’t recall if I was three or four this particular Christmas, but I do remember where I lived. It was a tiny two story farm house my parent’s rented from a gentleman named Mr. McCoy. My daddy loaded my mother, my sister, and me into the family car that Christmas Eve and we went to look at all the pretty lights around town. As we were returning home from our outing I noticed a red blinking light high in the sky. I was certain this was Rudolph guiding Santa’s sleigh and got very, very excited. My sister is five years older than me and being filled with older sister wisdom began to explain how terribly wrong I was and that is was only a silly air plane. Well, I informed her that she was incorrect and held my ground. Upon arriving home we discovered toys and gifts had been delivered while we were away! I was right, and Santa had been to our house! I learned years later how the magic of that night unfolded and will forever be grateful to my parents and one very wonderful landlord/elf for giving me such a precious memory!”

Kimberlee T homas – Eye On, Publisher