Hundreds of people showed up Friday night in downtown Holden to take part in the community’s annual Christmas Customer Appreciation Celebration.

Those attending enjoyed trolley rides, face painting, visits with Santa Claus and live reindeer, having their caricature drawn, Christmas carols by the Eagles Nest Pre-School as well as the opportunity to enter drawings for over $1,100 in gift certificates and savings bonds.

At one point, people were lined up almost a block long to visit with Santa and have their caricature drawn.

Lincoln, Nebraska cartoonist Paul Fell and Santa Claus were originally scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. However, because of the huge crowd, both men stayed several hours later to make sure no one was turned away.

“You would never know this is a small town by the size of the crowd tonight,” said Fell. “I was impressed with your business district when I drove in. I noticed there weren’t any empty buildings which shows you have a viable business district,” he said.

Bill Campbell, who has played Santa in Holden for many years, said it was one the bigger crowds he has seen in Holden.

“The town looked good with all the decorations,” said Campbell. “There were so many people, it was hard to even find a parking place.”

In addition to the entertainment, some of the local merchants stayed open late as well, offering specials throughout the day on Friday.

“We were extremely busy during the day and when people started coming back downtown for the festivities, we really got swamped,” said Scotty Walker, owner of Walker’s Variety and RadioShack.

Winners of the gift certificates provided by the Chamber of Commerce included: Wanda Thomas, Stephanie Atkinson, Lilie Ray, Danielle Wiskur and Tina Walker.

Winners of the $100 savings bonds donated by Farmers and Commercial Bank and the Bank of Holden were: Larry McCoy, Pam Hensley, Cody Faust, William Hensley, Pat Keller, Kasandra Love, Cheryl Johnson, Debbie Philip, Tina Noland and Rita Davis.

The event was co-sponsored by the Holden Chamber of Commerce and the Holden Image.

In addition to the banks, others contributing to the event were: Heiman True Value, Educational Textbook Services, Wilkinson Pharmacy, Tiger Jack’s and Holden Embroidery, Pat Zvacek, Independent Mary Kay Representative and Galle’s.

Both sponsors agreed the night was a big success and offered their thanks to everyone who contributed toward the event.

By Rusty Hartwell
Publisher

Sorority Plans Its Annual Bazaar

Laureate Delta Upsilon will hold their 26th annual Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, from 9a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Hallar Community Building in Holden.

A large number of vendors are set to participate in the event and a good crowd of holiday shoppers is expected. Items available for purchase range from woodwork, Christmas crafts, floral arrangements, candles, baked goods, Christmas ornaments and decorations, baskets, quilts, and many more. Business vendors who will take part include Avon, Mary Kay, Home Interior, and Stanley Products, among others.

There will also be several churches in attendance selling baked goods to raise money for their church and different charities.

Craft enthusiasts will have the opportunity to see a wide variety of homemade creations as there will be more than 23 vendors. Also on hand will be Santa and Mrs. Claus to visit with the children and listen to their holiday wishes. Children can also have their pictures taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 10 a.m until noon.

Santa’s mailbox will be available for children to leave their wish lists. Drawings will be held every hour to give away craft prizes for those in attendance. There are also special drawings held at 3 p.m. to give away a ham and a boy’s and girl’s Christmas stocking.

Helping to make the season bright will be the Forward Community Church Choir who will perform Christmas music for the crowd.

The sorority will offer homemade food, including taco salads, chili dogs, chili, baked potatoes and homemade pies.

The ladies from Laureate Delta Upsilon sorority have sponsored the event for many years and say it is always a big hit with the community.

By Dana Neubert
News Staff

Small Mall Planned For Area Children

For more than 10 years area children have enjoyed shopping at the Small Mall sponsored this year by Kappa Nu Sorority.

Children ages four through 12 have the opportunity to shop for inexpensive gifts for family and friends without them knowing what they have purchased for them. This year all gifts are $10 and under and all children will be assisted by a “personal shopper,” courtesy of volunteers from the Octagon Club.

The Small Mall will be held at First United Methodist Church Wesley Center in Holden and will open at 9 a.m. It will run until noon or until all the gifts are sold out.

“Free gift wrapping is also available for all children,” said sorority member Julie Getz. All gifts will be wrapped and tagged when children leave the Small Mall.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Small Mall or for questions, contact Getz at 850-8643.

By Dana Neubert
News Staff

Steve Flick, the prime motivator behind the Western Johnson County Medical Clinic (WJCMC), was the recipient of the Holden Chamber of Commerce’s Horizon Award given Monday night at the chamber’s annual banquet held at the Community Activity Center.

The Horizon Award is given to an individual who is particularly active in making the community a special place. According to outgoing chamber president Sam Raber, that criteria typifies what Flick has done for the local area.

Receiving the chamber’s President’s Award was Wendy Wood, who is the outgoing secretary. She earned the award for being someone who gave valuable service to the president and the chamber. Jenny Sollars accepted the award for Wood who was not able to be present due to work conflicts.
Outgoing vice president Dennis Mason presented a special gavel to Raber in appreciation of his service as president during 2005.

Also during the banquet meeting, new officers and a board of directors were installed. They included: President, Dennis Mason of O&M Enterprises; first vice president, Jenny Sollars of Holden Package Store; second vice-president, Sam Raber; treasurer, Bevy Fletchall, Sonic/Godfathers; and secretary, Pat Zvacek, independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics.

The board of directors are Debbie Robledo, WJCMC; Kyndal Phelps, Holden/Kingsville Fastop; Sandy Roberts, Holden Manor Care Center; Chris Fletchall, Sonic/Godfathers; Roy Dale Sturgis, Sturgis Realty; Karen Dyer, Whiteman AFB Community Council; and Verna Jenkins of Verna Jenkins Insurance.

The banquet goers were treated to a keynote address by Kent J. Burnes, president of Burnes Consulting, located in Orangevale, Ca., and on the island of Roatan, off the coast of Hondouras.

Burnes spoke to the gathering about being an orange in an apple world. He stated that apples in an “apple world” go along doing the same things - not stepping out and trying something different.

Oranges, on the other hand, stand out from the crowd and are not afraid to try something different.

He cited as examples a downtown coffee shop he worked with that closed early and was barely making ends meet. They decided “to be an orange” and stay open later. They convinced others in the area to do the same and after a short time the downtown area had created 42 new jobs and the coffee shop owner was doing well financially and spending 30 percent less time working.

He also spoke of his retail days in Sheridan, Wy., where the city was offered a $7 million dollar HUD grant to raze the downtown area and build anew. He and other busisnesses refused the grant, because to do so would be to tear down the history and uniqueness which made that city what it was.

He also praised a man named Bill Porter as his inspiration. Porter was born with cerebral palsy among other diseases and doctors told his mother he would never be able to care for himself. Burnes explained that he not only taught himself to care for himself, but became a very successful Watkins route salesman walking 7.6 miles per day. When he started, it took him 17 hours to complete the route. When he retired from the route, he was making it in nine hours.

Burnes credited Porter’s courage as an inspiration to him.

By Steve Sullins
Editor

Funeral services were held Tuesday at Williams Funeral Chapel for five-year-old Austin Wamsley who died from injuries he suffered in a farm-related accident Friday, Nov. 25 near his home in rural Holden.

Austin was the son of Raymond Matthew Wamsley and Kathryn Lee Wamsley. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Odessa.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by two sisters, one brother, his maternal and paternal grandparents and a maternal great-grandmother.

A man who spent a quarter of a century directly involved with the education of Holden’s children passed away Sunday, November 27, at the John Knox Care Center in Lee’s Summit.

Troy Edward Hirni, 89, served as principal of Holden High School from 1949 to 1953 and superintendent of Holden schools from 1954-1975.

After graduating from Central Missouri State University with a bachelor of science degree in education in 1942, Hirni began his teaching career in Bates City, where he and his wife Norma taught until he was drafted into military service in 1943.

He served in the European Theater of Operations with the 20th Armored Division, Company A, 27th Tank Batallion. After the war, he continued his profession of educatior, teaching and coaching basketball at Hume, MO until he arrived in Holden in 1949. During this period, he received his Master of Science degree in education from CMSU.

A member of the First Baptist Church of Holden, Hirni taught the Master Workman’s Sunday School class for many years.

He was married to the former Norma Mae Mullis of Worland, Mo., on February 14, 1942.

Funeral services, arranged by Ben Cast & Son-Wood Funeral Home, will be held Wednesday, November 30 at the First Baptist Church of Holden at 2 p.m. Burial will be at Woodfin Cemetery in Bates County.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Dillon-Mickey Downtown Park Project or to a scholarship fund of your choice.

By Steve Sullins
Editor