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From the Centre: Creston Valley had no lack of entertainment in December

As I have mentioned before, if someone says there’s nothing to do around here, the first thing I do is check for a pulse...
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Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Community Complex.

Well, if you haven’t bought it yet, wrapped it and stuffed it under the tree by now, you’re cutting it pretty fine. Just a suggestion in case the corner gas station has run out of Celine Dion Christmas CDs during your last-minute shopping frenzy — why not a gift certificate or pass from the Creston and District Community Complex? We can provide all kinds of passes to fit your budget, from year memberships (you truly like this person) on through to a 10-punch pass. In fact, we can even sell you a single pass (which is like getting a lottery ticket in your card, except you actually get some value). Or why not a gift registration to a program, like ballroom dance for Uncle Gary or fly-tying for Cousin Sue — check out the Winter Leisure Guide or stop and chat with our great customer service reps for all kinds of suggestions.

December has been crazy busy all over our valley with all sorts of concerts, events, parades — you name it, and as I have mentioned before, if someone says there’s nothing to do around here, the first thing I do is check for a pulse.

Some of the things we had a chance to partake in a week or so ago included the Footlighters Theatre Society’s locally written and produced play, Almost Golden, which not only touched many of the people in the audience in some fashion, it raised my admiration of the talent we have in this area immensely. We also headed westward and cruised across the flats to take in the West Creston Hall tea and bake sale, where swarthy firefighters served food and beverages and we enjoyed great conversations. (I learned later that there were also two other teas taking place at the same time around the valley.) Following that, we headed east (back to town) to the Ingham Arts and Culture Centre, where Creston Valley Community Radio was having an open house and garage sale in its new home and where I managed to purchase stuff which will most likely eventually end up donated back for future garage sales.

From there, it was off to the community complex where I was forced to park near the front entrance because it was so busy. (Remind me to complain to anyone that will listen that I had to walk all that way to the front doors.) I was mainly interested in snapping a few photos of our gingerbread man decorating event we had organized only to discover it had sold out in about an hour, leaving me to photograph a few M&Ms laying on the floor. Oh well, at least I got to see the children lined up to see Santa in our lobby courtesy the Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce, and with Jeff Banman taking some pretty cute photos of the kids relaying to the guy in red what exactly they wanted for Christmas — way more laid back than the Santa scene from A Christmas Story.

We also had a chat with Nelson-Creston MLA Michelle Mungall and her constituency assistant Jen Comer, who were dishing out free hot chocolate elsewhere in the front lobby while the arena lobby and bleachers were packed with parents, grandparents and siblings attending the novice hockey tournament (novice is the little guys — still lots of cute in that group as well). Throw in the free swim and the place was hopping — it had that special energy where pretty much everyone is happy to be there and enjoying themselves.

Parking space remained at a premium right through the evening as the Santa Claus Parade was marshaled on-site while all the guests coming to the Christmas banquets and dance in both the Creston Room and curling lounge jockeyed for a spot. Throw in a couple musical performances at the Snoring Sasquatch before and after the parade and you should have slept well that night. That was just the stuff going on that I knew about; I’m sure there was tons more but it made me think about a future column that asks, where do you get your information from?

Neil Ostafichuk is the recreation supervisor at the Creston and District Community Complex.