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"I have always loved Christmas," Seamon stated, her face beaming with the glow of a child on Christmas morning.

"We moved to Cincinnati in 2000 and I was so homesick I was having trouble getting into the holiday spirit," she added.

In an effort to do so, she and her family, husband Carl, and daughters Abigail, Courtney, and Erica, attended an event being put on at the girls' school.

"We really didn't know anybody, so we decided to go, and we had a ball," she said. "I kept thinking, 'I could do something like this.'"

The Seamon family returned to their hometown in 2003 and Sherry began planning an event for the New Lothrop community like the one they had experienced.

"I wanted my nieces and nephews and all the kids here in New Lothrop to experience the whole magical experience of Santa Claus and the elves and what a visit to the North Pole might be like," she said.

"My aim is to create a North Pole illusion that families can enjoy together where they can make wonderful Christmas memories that they will remember forever. I hope they will."

Seamon says she spends the entire year planning for the event and looking for new ideas.

The real hectic part of the preparation though begins in the fall when she begins sending out letters and making calls to sponsors, along with constructing new decorations.

Holiday decorating of her own home takes place early in October and November to leave time for working on the event.

"I have to have my house done way before Thanksgiving or else there just isn't time."

This year's event will be the third annual and is scheduled for Saturday, December 1 starting at 9 a.m. at the New Lothrop Community Life Center at 7406 S. Saginaw Street in New Lothrop.

Doors will open at 8:45 and tickets are still available for children and adults at a cost of $5 by calling Seamon at 810-638-2278. Infants 12 months and under are free.

Activities during the event include a welcome and escort to seating by one of Santa's elves, a continental breakfast, a visit by Santa, story time with Mrs. Claus, coloring time, a North Pole sing-a-long, Candy Cane Lane, Frosty's Face Painting, Donner's Decorating Department, Rudolph's Reindeer Games, Cupid's Craft Center, and a personal visit with Santa.

Participants rotate through stations at their own leisure.

At Donner's Decorating Department participants can frost and decorate Christmas cookies that they can eat or take home.

Prizes are awarded to those taking part in their choice of any or all of three different games at Rudolph's Reindeer Games.

Christmas ornaments to take home can be made at Cupid's Craft Center.

Photographs with holiday folders are available during a personal visit with Santa. Photos are also allowed to be taken with personal cameras.

Lots of Christmas scenery, perfect for that holiday Kodak(r) moment, is located throughout the center.

Seamon notes that the event would not be possible without all the help she receives from her dedicated group of volunteers that includes her family, Carl, Abigail, Courtney, and Erica who help "all year long getting ready for the big day" and also help at the event with set-up and tear-down and "everything in between."

Other volunteers include Jerry and Barbara Johnson, Sandy Johnson, Doug Wendling, Patti Page, Linda Newvine, Connie Thomas, Deena Brace, Garrett Brace, Kateri Angst, Lance Angst, Kurt Dankert, Jim Johnson, Mary Memmer, Dorothy Bullard, Caryse Kozel, Jan Brashaw, Cindy Schilict, and New Lothrop Superintendent John Strycker who serves as Santa's Head Elf.

The New Lothrop High School National Honor Society students serve as elves, greeting guests and escorting them to their seats along with performing as the North Pole Choir.

The event is sponsored by the Panera Bread Company, Gordon's Food Service, McDonalds, Krogers of Owosso, Home Depot, Meijer, Big Apple Bagels, Owosso Pools, Wal-mart, Party America, Sam's Club, and Krispy Kreme Donuts.

All proceeds from the event go the New Lothrop Community Life Center to help fund future community events.

Seamon, who was born and raised in New Lothrop, is a graduate of New Lothrop High School.

Business as usual for Brady

Recall efforts fail by 70 percent

DEB MILLER

The Tri-County Citizen

BRADY TWP. - It was business as usual Wednesday night as the Brady Township Board convened for its regular monthly meeting with Trustee Sue Peterson taking her seat among her fellow board members.

Recall efforts against Peterson failed with 287 residents, nearly 70 percent of the 391 voters who turned out to the polls for Tuesday's election, casting ballots to keep her in office.

This past spring 268 of the township's residents signed a petition to get the issue on the ballot, but on Tuesday only 104 residents cast votes to follow through on the recall and remove Peterson.

Of the township's 1,730 registered voters only 23 percent turned out to cast ballots on the issue.

"Hopefully now we can get back to business as usual," said a relieved Peterson.

"It's time to get back to business and complete the jobs we started."

Township resident Glen Reeves, who attends the board meetings regularly, said it's time people realize they are fighting an uphill battle.

"Seventy percent of the constituents resoundingly said no on the issue, that should say something," said Reeves.

The recall stemmed from accusations by the group calling themselves the citizens for the protection of Brady Township.

A recall petition filed with, and approved by, the Saginaw County Clerk's office stated "Brady Township Trustee Sue Peterson willfully and with malice voted to pay the Green Creek Drain bill without reading the written opinion of the Brady Township attorney at the May 3, 2006 board meeting."

The more than $5,000 bill was paid by the township to the Saginaw County Drain Commission for the cleaning and maintaining of drains.

The group had claimed that the bill was incurred by a former supervisor and was not legal. Paying the bill meant that all property owners whose property connects to that drain had to pay a portion of the bill which cost Green Creek property owners over $40,000 with some paying up to $1,800 each.

Peterson had noted that she did not understand why she was being targeted when three of the five board members voted to pay the bill.

Other accusations by the group include that Peterson conspired with the clerk and supervisor to dissolve the township police department, violated the open meetings act by having secret meetings with the supervisor and clerk, and failed to perform duties of her office including not attending meetings she was obligated to attend.

During Wednesday's meeting Peterson thanked fellow board members Ron Gasper, Patty Goodrich, and Bev Wenzlick for their support.

"I'm just so glad it's over. I'm happy to still be here and to be able to finish my work," Peterson stated.

"I encourage all township residents to come to the monthly meetings the first Wednesday of every month and stay informed about their surroundings."

Peterson's term expires in November of 2008.

Cleaning House

Local baby on America's Funniest Home Videos

Hillary Darling

The Tri-County Citizen

MONTROSE -"All I could do was laugh."

When Rebecca Krupp found her daughter with Q-tips up her nose "cleaning house," she captured the moment on tape.

Alexandrea Krupp-daughter of Don and Rebecca of Montrose-and her curious antics landed her a space on America's Funniest Home Videos.

Rebecca Krupp had just gotten her daughter, now almost six months old, out of the shower and dressed when she left to get something and came back to find Alexandrea's curious antics. She grabbed the video camera and caught the moment on tape.

The family sent the video in to ABC's popular program in September and later signed a release. They didn't find out about the video being selected until a friend found it online.

According to the website, the video was added to AFV's collection on October 6.

Rebecca Krupp said that out of the over 6000 entries, she knew they would only pick a few. "It was kind of exciting, I didn't know if she'd get picked or not," she said.

The video last had a rating of four and a half out of five.

The Krupp's video can be viewed by visiting www.afhv.com, and clicking on "most recent" under videos. The video is entitled Cleaning House.

Brady Senior Center welcomes new director

OAKLEY - Lynne Seelye, the new director for the Brady Senior Center, enjoys working with the people.

Seelye, who replaced Angela Barsenas at the end of October, is now coordinating meals, taking calls, socializing, and planning activities for the center.

A retired Saginaw County Mental Health worker, she enjoys the change and loves talking to the seniors and listening to their stories. Previously, she took a group from the Eleanor Frank Senior Center on volunteer trips.

The center is waiting for a vehicle for transportation for those who cannot make it to the center otherwise. Once the transportation helps the numbers to rise back up, Seeley will begin to plan activities in addition to the Euchre games, music, food and friendships the center currently offers to those age sixty and over on weekdays from 10:30 to 1:30.

Seelye is a resident of Saginaw and mother of two grown children.

For more information about the Brady Senior Center, call 989-845-7200.

New Lothrop resident crowned Olivet Nazarene University's 2007 Homecoming queen

OLIVET -- Katie Brashaw, an elementary education major with a Spanish minor from New Lothrop, was crowned Olivet Nazarene University's 2007 Homecoming queen on Nov. 1 in Olivet's Chalfant Hall. Brashaw, the daughter of Paul and Jan Brashaw, was escorted by Matt Bowman of Mansfield, Ohio.

While at Olivet, Brashaw has been an active member of the Student Education Association council, Kappa Delta Pi and Sister-to-Sister mentoring program. She has also worked as a resident assistant in Parrott Hall and a Benner Library student worker.

After graduation, Brashaw plans to teach Spanish-speaking students or teach in an elementary English-speaking classroom.

Members of the 2007 Homecoming court, all seniors, include Kara Burkey, Lima, Ohio (escorted by Alex Butler); Heather Caldwell, Garden Prairie, Ill. (escorted by Kerry Steines); Allison Caudle, Plainfield, Ind. (escorted by Trenton Ivy); and Genesis Peterkort, Algonquin, Ill. (escorted by Chase Means).

Olivet Nazarene University is an accredited Christian, liberal arts university offering over 120 areas of study. It is centrally located in the historic village of Bourbonnais, Illinois - just 50 miles from Chicago's loop - with additional School of Graduate and Continuing Studies locations in Rolling Meadows, Ill. and throughout Chicagoland.