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Wallowa.com
Winterfest:
Continued from Page A1
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Santa Claus (aka Donavon Shaw) gets a little
assistance to the seat where he would greet kids from
his helpers, Jenni Word, left, and Ashley Sullivan on
Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, at the Enterprise Winterfest.
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Alicia Hayes hands down a warm drink from her All-
American Coff ee truck to a Winterfest-goer Saturday,
Dec. 11, 2021, at the Enterprise Winterfest.
Programs:
Continued from Page A1
“I thought it was fantastic,”
Crane said. “The students did a
fi ne job combining putting on a
great Christmas program while
following the state’s COVID
requirements. We also asked par-
ents to wear masks as they came
to watch the program.”
Enterprise Junior/Senior High
has no music program, Crane
said.
“We’re doing everything we
can to help kids get back to nor-
mal,” he said. “We’re doing
everything we can to keep the
kids safe. We want to reduce
any needed quarantine time. …
We want them to enjoy being in
school.”
Earlier,
elementary
stu-
dents squared off for a Christ-
mas
tree-decorating
contest
Wednesday, Dec. 8. Second- and
sixth-graders decorated the “San-
ta’s Workshop Tree” at one end of
the school’s central hallway, while
the “North Pole Tree” was at the
other end of the hallway deco-
rated by fourth- and fi fth-graders
in a Christmas tree contest held at
the school.
Christmas isn’t the only event
the school’s trying to return to
normal. Crane said they’re also
preparing for the annual sixth-
grade trip to the coast in the
spring.
“Last year they couldn’t go,
so this year we’re trying to do it
again,” he said, adding that it will
There were 12 hand-blown
Christmas Ornaments that were
given away and more than 75
businesses and individuals
donated either gift certifi cates,
gifts for the giveaways or time
to help make the city-sponsored
Winterfest possible.
Santa and Mrs. Claus — aka
Donavon and Margie Shaw —
were on hand in Warde Park
to greet children eager to tell
him what they want under their
Christmas trees and fi nd out if
they were on the “naughty” or
“nice” list. First up was Rhyatt
Neil, son of Trenton and Jessica
Neil, for his fi rst visit to Santa.
He was immediately proclaimed
on the “nice” list.
One difference this year,
McQuead said, was that all
events were held outdoors. Santa
met kids in a tent at Warde Park
in a tent to shelter all from the
chilly wind blowing during
the day and evening. Previous
Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Winterfests have included some
events indoors, but COVID pan-
demic restrictions precluded
this.
“All in all, it made it that
much more special having
everything centered around
Warde Park,” McQuead said of
the event. “We had to wait to
fi nd out what the current COVID
guidelines would be.”
Santa arrived about 2 p.m.,
but the parade didn’t start until
around 5:30 p.m. The idea was
to encourage people to visit
stores on Main Street during
that time.
“We wanted people to patron-
ize stores so we bought hand-
blown glass ornaments they
could enter a drawing for that
would be awarded after the
parade,” McQuead said. “Our
goal was to push shoppers
toward the businesses and for
kids to have a place to build
crafts, color, visit Santa, and to
enjoy Warde Park.”
Mayor Ashley Sullivan was
one of “Santa’s Helpers” at the
park. It was her fi rst Winterfest
as mayor, as last year’s was can-
celed because of the pandemic.
“It’s wonderful to fi nally be
able to do these things,” she
said. “Hopefully, next year will
be even bigger and we’ll be able
to do some things inside. The
city needs this.”
Last year’s replacement for
Winterfest came in the form of
the “Fair Lights” drive-thru dis-
play at the Wallowa County Fair-
A7
grounds. That will be conducted
again this year, running from
5-8 p.m. Dec. 17-26. The free
event will off er bags of donated
merchandise to the fi rst 100
attendees on the opening night.
Attendees enter the fairgrounds
at a gate on Medical Parkway
near Les Schwab Tires, drive
past Christmas displays set up
around the track and exit near
the indoor arena off Lyle Street.
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Reindeer on bicycles made up the fl oat promoting a proposed
bicycle playground at Wallowa on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, at the
Enterprise Winterfest.
be headed up by teacher Donna
Yost.
“She’s pretty excited they’re
doing it again,” Crane said.
“It’s just part of trying to make
school normal again,” he said,
adding, “Merry Christmas.”
Joseph
Joseph Charter School also
has held programs. Superinten-
dent Lance Homan said he was
pleased to see his students per-
form. The kindergarten through
third grade turned out in their
favorite Christmas pajamas and
slippers Wednesday, Dec. 8, to
recite and sing songs to the theme
of “Twas the Night Before Christ-
mas.” The fourth grade through
high school put on a program the
night before.
“I thought it was great,” he
said Thursday.
He added that it was a bit of a
return to normal and not have to
repeat what the school had to do
last year with an online program.
“It’s nice to see people in
the gym and have a concert that
was somewhat normal,” he said.
“I thought the kids were really
excited to be doing their Christ-
mas concert again.”
He noted that schools are still
under state guidelines to social
distance and wear face masks. He
said the kids did so and many of
the parents did, too.
“It was nice to see everybody
and see our kids out there sing-
ing,” he said. “(Music Direc-
tor) Mrs. Homan always does a
good job.”
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftan
Pajama-clad kindergarten-through-third-graders at Joseph Charter
School recite “The Night Before Christmas” and sing accompanying songs
led by music director Michelle Homan before a packed house of parents
Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, at the school.
Wallowa
Tammy Jones, superintendent
of the Wallowa School District,
was thrilled with a program put on
Wednesday, Dec. 8, by the kinder-
garten through fourth grades.
“It was wonderful,” Jones said.
“The whole community sang
‘Silent Night’ with the kids.”
She, too, was please with a
semblance of normalcy the pro-
gram allowed. She said kids wore
their face masks walking up to the
risers, took them off to sing and
replaced the masks as they came
down.
“We were able to do it in a safe
way and still showcase our kids
and what they can do. My heart was
very full,” she said. “Just watching
the parents and the pride and joy
they felt and the giggles watching
their kids. … It was touching.”
Jones said Thursday that this
week is full, as Wallowa students
have numerous Christmas-related
activities.
“Monday we’re doing ‘Grinch
Day.’ Tuesday it’s wear your crazy
socks or Santa hats,” she said.
“Wednesday is ‘Polar Express
Day’ where we’ll watch the movie
and have cocoa while wearing PJs
and slippers. On Thursday, it’s
wear your favorite or ugly Christ-
mas sweater.”
Ellen Morris Bishop/For the Wallowa
County Chieftain
Dusty Holz plays “Hot Cross Buns”
with the rest of her recorder
ensemble. Due to the COVID-19
pandemic, the group has been
learning the instrument for only
about six weeks. Their tune drew
repeated
and
wholehearted
applause at the Wallowa School’s
K-fourth
grade
Elementary
Christmas concert Wednesday, Dec.
8, 2021.
Also, she said, the Rotary Club
will be taking kids to go shopping
and high school students will be
decorating doors and holding a gift
exchange.
Christmas break for all three
districts starts Friday, Dec. 17
and they return to school Mon-
day, Jan. 3.
Conatact Elaine at 541-263-1189
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