The Metro East Messenger 12.17.21 Issue

Inside : How You Can Help The Dec. 10th Tornado Victims

Holiday Event Calendar

Holiday Oreo Truffles Recipe

Buy One Entrée, Get One Half Off Must Present Coupon Expires 1/16/22

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Local Events

NOTE: Events are subject to change, cancel or be rescheduled due to Covid restrictions.

Live Music Every Weekend at The Cabin at Judy Creek, 3730 S. State Rte. 157, Glen Carbon. 12/17- Jeni & Dave Acoustic, Dec. 18th- Rocky Mountain Oysters and Bryan Roach, Dec. 23rd- Black Arrow Bards. Follow their Facebook page for music updates.

WonderLight’s Christmas at Worldwide Technology Raceway, 700 Raceway Blvd, Madison. WonderLight’s Christmas is a drive through Christmas light show fully synchronized to music played through your car stereo! With millions of lights dancing in sync to crowd-favorite Christmas music, WonderLight’s Christmas might just become your family’s next favorite holiday tradition. Open nightly now thru January 9, 2022 - rain, shine, or snow. Tickets must be purchased in advance at www.wonderlightschristmas.com/tickets.

Santa Will Be at Pete’s Market, 523 Troy Plaza, Troy. Dec. 17th 3-7pm., Dec. 18th 10am-2pm, Dec. 19th 12-4pm. Get there early and get a good spot! You will be able to follow the boot prints through the store to find his special location. Then, you can tell him your Christmas wishes. Please feel free to take pictures but be considerate of all the people waiting in line. You will be able to sit on Santa's lap or on a bench.

A Very Merry Family Adventure, Dec. 17th, Red Hill Church, Edwardsville. Enjoy a Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt at your own leisure with video clues and a chance to win a $50 gift card. To register for this free event, go to bit.ly/3rwzJh8.

Looking For A Venue To Host A Private Event? EXO Lounge & Nail Bar is available for private events. Fully licensed bar and seating for 100. For more info, go to https://visitexo.com/ or email events manager at events@visitexo.com.

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Local Events Santa Visits Edwardsville, Dec. 18th 1-4pm and Dec. 22nd 5:30-8pm. Santa will be located at the Nickel Plate Station in conjunction with the Edwardsville Children's Museum. The station is in front of the Lewis and Clark N.O. Nelson Campus off Troy Road. This historic space was lovingly relocated and restored and opened just this year.

Breakfast with Santa at Edison’s, Dec. 18th, 9-11am, 2477 S. State Rte. 157, Edwardsville. Breakfast with Santa will be held in The Outlet. Reservations are encouraged! Please call 618.307.9020 to reserve your spot. $10 - Breakfast buffet, photo with Santa, and a train ride with Santa. $18 - Breakfast buffet, photo with Santa, train ride with Santa, and a two-hour AllAccess Pass (good for two hours of fun from the time of purchase - expires by 1pm). Open-air seating and carryout orders are available.

Belleville Flea Market December 2021, Dec. 18th 9am-4pm, Dec. 19th, 9am-3pm, Belle Clair Fairgrounds and Expo Center.

Southern Illinois’ Premier Indoor/Outdoor Market – Over 600 tables and 300-400 vendors selling antiques, collectibles, merchandise – old and new. Parking is $3, Admission is free.

Santa is Coming to Kloss Furniture, Dec. 18th. He will be Kloss in Highland, 10am-12pm, 1100 Broadway, Highland. Then will also be at Kloss in Edwardsville, 2-4pm, 6132 Shoger Drive, Edwardsville. Free, take your own pictures. They will be collecting $10+ unwrapped toys for His Kids Cancer Support. Receive an additional $50 discount with a $10+ toy donation (min. purchase $499).

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Local Events Santa is Coming to Conway’s! Dec. 18th, 11am-3pm at Conway’s Catering and Good Eats Deli, 2112 S. Center St, Maryville.

Be sure to mark your calendars and bring the kiddos by to tell him their wish list and have some cookies and hot chocolate! If you find it in your heart to bring an unwrapped toy for The Marine Corps Toys for Tots, your name will be put in a drawing the first week of January for a Basket full of Conway's Goodies.

A Very Merry Winter Wonderland Extravaganza with Special Guests Santa, Mrs. Claus, Olaf, & Kristoff, Dec. 18th, 11am4pm at the Leclaire Room, 600 Troy Rd, Edwardsville, IL. The celebration will include appearances from Santa, Mrs. Claus, Olaf, & Kristoff. Included in the ticket, each child will receive a professional digital photo with Santa & Mrs. Claus by professional photographer, Holly Glatt Photography, snacks including pretzel bar and cookies & milk, and a stocking to fill at each activity station. During the event, toy donations will be accepted for Edwardsville Neighbors. For tickets, go to bit.ly/3wekWrQ.

Winter Market at Gateway Convention Center, Dec. 18th-19th, 10am-4pm at Gateway Convention Center. Winter Market is a holiday shopping experience for you and your family! Offering fashions and foods, glitter and gifts, music, and a little bit of magic! 55’ Bounce house obstacle course, boozy hot chocolate, 90+ vendors, kids arts and crafts and 2 special guests from the North Pole (Sunday 1-3pm). Admission and parking are free.

An Evening with Santa, Dec. 18th, 4-7pm at Vine Street Market, 105 S. Vine St, O’Fallon. $20per child. Registration includes hot chocolate for your family, one ornament and one cookie per child and a 4×6 photo with Santa printed on site.

To register, go to bit.ly/32OrPW5. www.metroeastmessenger.com

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Local Events Nutcracker 2021-Joyful Arts Movement, Dec. 18th, 6pm, Miners Theater, 204 W. Main St, Collinsville. Join us as we present our own version of the Nutcracker performed by our own students, ranging in age from 2-17 years old! Admission is a new paper product per person that will be donated to the Collinsville Food Pantry.

Bethalto Christmas Village, Dec. 18th & 19th, 5-8pm, Bethalto Park. Santa in the Gazebo, barrel car rides for the children, smore making station, craft and food vendors, live nativity, food items for purchase. The Village is located on an asphalt path connecting the park to the Bethalto Arboretum light display.

Magical Christmas Mommy & Me Tea Party, Dec. 19th, 10-11:30am at Exo Lounge, 2 157 Ctr, Edwardsville. Wear your Christmas outfits and join us at EXO Lounge for a magical holiday experience. Tickets include hot cocoa, tea or lemonade (mimosa or champagne for mom), finger foods and desserts. All guests are encouraged to bring a new and unwrapped toy to be donated to Edwardsville Neighbors local toy drive. For tickets, go to bit.ly/3DhflTx. Dueling Pianos-Family Holiday Edition, Dec. 19th, 1pm at Wildey Theatre, 252 N. Main St, Edwardsville. Family Holiday Dueling Pianos is a joyous mix of holiday music, kid songs and your favorite tunes. This show is suitable for all ages and features Edwardsville own dueling piano veteran Mike Sonderegger and Cameron Brown. Come bring your family and friends to sing, clap, laugh and enjoy. Admission $12 at http://www.wildeytheatre.com/.

Santa at Sacred Grounds Café, Dec. 19th, 1-3:30pm, 233 N. Main St, Edwardsville. Santa is making a stop at the coffee shop to hear Christmas wishes & smile for pictures. Free event and open to the public.

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Local Events Santa is Coming to Troy, Dec. 23rd, 5pm. Santa will be visiting the town of Troy on a fire truck! To see the official route Santa will be taking, visit the Troy Fire Protection District Facebook page.

Christmas Eve Service in the Stables, Dec. 24th, 5-6pm, Cornerstone Farms, 1729 State Rt. 4, St. Jacob. Join us and the horses in the warmth of the main barn for hot drinks & desserts, live music & Christmas carols, and a telling of the Christmas story with a message of inspiration in a setting like the one where it all began. Bring a blanket if you'd like the hay bale pews to be a little more comfortable. We'll have heaters on hand for the comfort of our oldest and youngest guests. Free event.

Blood Drive, Dec. 27th, 1-6pm, Tri-Township Park, 410 Wickliffe St, Troy. Please consider donating. Go to RedCrossBlood.org and enter Tri-Township, or call 618-667-6887, Ext. 3.

New Years at Noon, Dec. 31st, 9:30am-12pm, Edwardsville Children’s Museum, 722 Holyoake Rd, Edwardsville. Put on your fanciest party clothes and join us for a New Year’s party complete with crafts and a balloon drop at noon. All ages with a caregiver. Free admission. More info at edwardsvillechildrensmuseum.org/.

2nd Annual Masquerade Ball at EXO Lounge, Dec. 31st, 2 157 Center, Edwardsville. Bring in the new year at the 2nd annual Masquerade Ball at EXO Lounge! For full details and ticket info, go to visitexo.com.

New Year's Eve Countdown, Dec. 31st, 6:30pm at the Collinsville VFW, 1234 Vandalia St, Collinsville. Celebrate ringing in the New Year at the Collinsville VFW. Tickets are $60 per couple or $35 for a single ticket. The evening will feature reserved seating, catered meal, party favors and music/dancing all evening! Doors open at 630 with dinner being served at 7. Tickets are available at the VFW Lounge. www.metroeastmessenger.com

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Local Events Yule Fires & Hot Chocolate Happy Trails Farm, Dec. 19th, 1-3pm, 1108 Old Rock Rd, Granite City. Enjoy wintertime on the farm! We will be open to the public for this special event. Dress warm and come enjoy the warm lovely farm animals, a small Yule fire, and some hot chocolate for a moment on this great December Saturday afternoon. There will be purchase items by “Cash Only”; such as the hot chocolate, smores, and animal feed snacks.

Santa’s Coming to New Douglas, Dec. 19th, 2pm. He will be escorted by the New Douglas Fire Dept. He’s visiting every street in the village then will stop at the RecPlex Circle to hand out special goodie.

Santa’s Village, Dec. 20th, 21st, 22nd, 5-8pm, Wiesemeyer Center at Tri-Township Park, 411 Wickliffe St, Troy. Santa’s Village welcomes you to come and sit on Santa’s lap and get your picture taken with live reindeer. Don’t forget to bring your own cameras. Free event, sponsored by the Troy Lions Club.

A Night in Bethlehem, An Interactive Family Christmas Event, Dec. 21st, 5:30-7:30pm, Troy United Methodist Church, 407 Edwardsville Rd, Troy. During this 2-hour Christmas program, families wander through the bustling Bethlehem marketplace and discover what life was like when Jesus was born. Unlike your typical “living Nativity,” everyone will create unique keepsakes as they interact with local shopkeepers who share the Christmas story. They’ll love talking to Mary and Joseph in The Stable—and hearing about the miracle of Jesus’ birth.

Santa at Silly Grandma’s Sweet Creations, Dec. 22nd, 9-11am and 1-4pm, 533 Troy Plaza, Troy. There will be a chair and scene setup allowing you to take your own pictures with Santa as well as free picture frames (while they last). www.metroeastmessenger.com

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Remembering Those We Lost, Rebuilding Our Communities In Memory Of The Amazon Warehouse Tornado Victims The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce has gathered a list of resources for those in our communities affected by the December 10th tornados. Those looking for information regarding new or temporary employment, food insecurity, child-care, education/training, etc. should contact the TMSM Chamber of Commerce at info@troymaryvillecoc.com or call 618-667-8769.

The City of Edwardsville has activated their Emergency Relief Fund and is accepting donations via edwardsvillecf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate. To give by phone: 855-464-2223 (Point of Contact is Pam Farrar) The American Red Cross and Salvation Army are actively working to offer aid to the IL Tornado victims and affected areas.

TO DONATE TO THE American Red Cross of Illinois - visit www.redcross.org/donate . TO GIVE BLOOD (DANGEROUSLY LOW BLOOD SUPPLY) www.redcrossblood.org. BY MAIL: address to American Red Cross - PO Box 37839, Boone, IA 50037 and include donation form available online | BY PHONE: 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800435-7669) | BY TEXT: text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 gift | AMAZON ALEXA: Tell Alexa: “Alexa, make a donation to the American Red Cross.” Your donation is processed through Amazon Pay using the information already stored in your Amazon account.

TO DONATE TO THE Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services USA - ONLINE: visit give.helpsalvationarmy.org/give/166081 and select "December 2021 Tornado Outbreak (Illinois & Missouri)" |

BY MAIL: address to Salvation Army Central Territory - 10 West Algonquin Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60016 and label "December 2021 Tornado Outbreak (Illinois & Missouri)" | IN-KIND: visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/give/?inkind | BY PHONE: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769) Donations – We have identified GoFundMe pages for all six victims of the tornado at Amazon in Edwardsville, IL – Donations can be made directly to those pages using the information below. Additionally, we have listed funds for an injured employee and resident whose home was damaged.

Etheria S. Hebb, 34, of St. Louis Memorial Fund - https://gofund.me/816fc7a2 Deandre S. Morrow, 28, of St. Louis Memorial Fund - https://gofund.me/43e23129 Kevin D. Dickey, 62, of Carlyle, Illinois Memorial Fund - https://gofund.me/8cef50ee Larry E. Virden, 46, of Collinsville, Illinois Memorial Fund - https://www.gofundme.com/f/2nd7wqdads-funeral...

Clayton Lynn Cope 29, of Alton, Illinois Memorial Fund - https://www.gofundme.com/f/claytoncopes-final-expenses Austin J. McEwen 26, Edwardsville, Illinois Memorial Fund - https://gofund.me/1a9e6b8d Craig Yost Injury Fund - https://gofund.me/563f60cf Suzie Home Damage Fund – https://www.gofundme.com/f/sunshine-suzie-tornado-damage The TMSM Chamber of Commerce offers its continued condolences to those who lost loved ones- we acknowledge that the pain caused by this event will last longer than it takes to rebuild a warehouse and extends beyond those who were inside at the time – we are eager to help those displaced in any way we can.

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Local Events Santa is Coming to Troy, Dec. 23rd, 5pm. Santa will be visiting the town of Troy on a fire truck! To see the official route Santa will be taking, visit the Troy Fire Protection District Facebook page.

Christmas Eve Service in the Stables, Dec. 24th, 5-6pm, Cornerstone Farms, 1729 State Rt. 4, St. Jacob. Join us and the horses in the warmth of the main barn for hot drinks & desserts, live music & Christmas carols, and a telling of the Christmas story with a message of inspiration in a setting like the one where it all began. Feel free to bring a blanket if you'd like the hay bale pews to be a little more comfortable. We'll have heaters on hand for the comfort of our oldest and youngest guests. Free event.

Blood Drive, Dec. 27th, 1-6pm, Tri-Township Park, 410 Wickliffe St, Troy. Please consider donating. Go to RedCrossBlood.org and enter Tri-Township, or call 618-667-6887, Ext. 3.

New Years at Noon, Dec. 31st, 9:30am-12pm, Edwardsville Children’s Museum, 722 Holyoake Rd, Edwardsville. Put on your fanciest party clothes and join us for a New Year’s party complete with crafts and a balloon drop at noon. All ages with a caregiver. Free admission. More info at edwardsvillechildrensmuseum.org/.

2nd Annual Masquerade Ball at EXO Lounge, Dec. 31st, 2 157 Center, Edwardsville. Bring in the new year at the 2nd annual Masquerade Ball at EXO Lounge! For full details and ticket info, go to visitexo.com.

New Year's Eve Countdown, Dec. 31st, 6:30pm at the Collinsville VFW, 1234 Vandalia St, Collinsville. Celebrate ringing in the New Year at the Collinsville VFW. Tickets are $60 per couple or $35 for a single ticket. The evening will feature reserved seating, catered meal, party favors and music/dancing all evening! Doors open at 630 with dinner being served at 7. Tickets are available at the VFW Lounge.

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Local Events 28th Annual Let's Go Fishing Show, Jan. 7th- 9th at the Gateway Convention Center, 1 Gateway Dr, Collinsville. Visitors to the show not only find a "fishing tackle super-store" but attend seminars and see exhibits of interest. Show attendees will find a wide variety of fishing tackle, rods and reels, aluminum and fiberglass fishing boats, and more. Tickets: $7 per day, $3.50 for ages 6-15 per day.

Collinsville Community SnowFest '22, Jan. 15th, 8-11:30am, 1498 Vandalia St, Collinsville, IL. 8:00-8:30am-Community Breakfast. Starting @ 8:30- Cardboard Sled Race. Put together a one-of-a-kind sled with a team of friends, family, or coworkers. Entry is $10.00 per sled with all proceeds going to Collinsville Parks. We will limit the number of entries per division so that everyone will get at least two runs. Awards ceremony from 11-11:30a.m. immediately after the last sled runs. Don't worry! We are providing the hill and all the snow! For rules and registration, go to bit.ly/3nUsuML. There will also be three virtual reality stations, a timed jigsaw puzzle competition, dog dash, snowball fling and paper snowflake contest.

Gateway Wedding Show, Jan. 20th, 5-9pm at the Gateway Convention Center. For the couple that just got engaged, or the event planner starting off his/her career, the show will feature everything you need. For those who are just looking for fresh ideas and inspiration, there will be plenty of new ideas on display. Free event, register at https://gwsjan2022.eventbrite.com. 100+ vendors, samplings, live fashion show, give aways and more.

Gateway Spring Home Show, Jan. 29th & 30th, Gateway Convention Center, 1 Gateway Dr, Collinsville. Our events feature a wide selection of home improvement professionals in a fun, interactive environment. After meeting with and comparing our expert exhibitors, we know you'll be inspired and motivated to start planning with confidence. Register online for your free passes at www.gatewaycenter.com/event/gateway-spring-home-show. www.metroeastmessenger.com

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Holiday Oreo Truffles When it comes to quick, easy and delicious holiday treats these Holiday Oreo Truffles are exactly that. Colorful, tasty and super easy to whip up. They also make great gifts! Special thank you to Dana Devolk at This Silly Girls Kitchen.

Find more great recipes like these at thissillygirlskitchen.com Ingredients 12 ounces golden Oreos 30 cookies 8 ounces cream cheese softened Green gel food coloring Red gel food coloring 24 ounces white almond bark ¼ cup mini holiday M&Ms

Instructions Place the Oreos in a food processor and process until crumbs are formed. Add the cream cheese and process until fully combined.

Separate the mixture into three separate bowls.

Color one bowl with green food coloring. Color another bowl with red food coloring. Leave the last bowl as is.

Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Taking a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, going from color to color, add a little bit of the filling mixture until you fill-up the cookie scoop. Roll into a ball and place on the parchment paper, repeat with the remaining filling.

Place the sheet tray in the freezer for 3 hours or up to overnight so the balls freeze completely.

Melt the almond bark per the directions on the package. I like to do this step-in batches, pull out 4 of the frozen cookie balls and dip them one by one into the melted almond bark so it’s fully coated.

Let any excess drip off and place it on another parchment-lined cookie sheet. Immediately top it with the M&M’s, repeat until they are all done. Serve immediately!

The truffles can be layered on parchment paper and stacked in an airtight container. They will last up to one month in the refrigerator or frozen for up to four months. Enjoy!

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