On Dec. 12 at 11am, president Miriam Green welcomed the members and guests to the Women’s Institute Christmas meeting at the Damascus community centre.
She opened with a reading written by an Institute member about a December Institute meeting, followed by the singing of the Institute Ode, reciting the Mary Stewart Collect and the reading of the usual reports and correspondence. It was unanimous that we donate $100 to the Arthur Lions Club for its Christmas hampers for the less fortunate, along with the two boxes of food items donated by the members.
Happy Birthday was sung to three members celebrating December birthdays. Christmas cards were sent to eight former members who have moved from the area. Several Christmas readings, poems, and jokes by Miriam, Judy, and Agnes concluded the business portion of the meeting.
At noon, we enjoyed a full course turkey dinner with all the trimmings, complete with desserts of lemon meringue or apple pie, cherry cheesecake, and angel food cake smothered in fresh strawberries and whipped cream catered by Laurie McKenzie and Judy Eden.
Following dinner, roll call, "humorous story" was answered by 19 members and six guests from Grandma sitting on Santa’s knee and getting her picture taken at the shopping mall to touching words out of the mouths of 4- to 8-year-olds, What does love mean?
Annie Tone, spokesman for the program committee, called on Hilda Duncan to read Fitness For Seniors which we will all need after indulging in all the holiday festivities.
Next Joyce McKee, no stranger to most of us, got everyone in the festive mood singing a number of Christmas songs and carols, Jingle Bells, Deck The Halls, Go Tell It On The Mountain, Silent Night, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, Joy To The World and Frosty The Snowman while she tickled the ivories of the old piano.
Annie and Hilda did a skit What’s In A Name. Several readings and jokes relating to Christmas were read by Elsie Jones, A Silent Night, Wilma Culp, The Tablecloth, and Special Thoughts of Christmas and jokes, by Gwen Wilson.
A sheet of 24 pictures was given to everyone and we had seven minutes to name the Christmas song each picture represented. The winner was Barbara Jones.
The program ended with the singing of Here Comes Santa Claus and Santa (Pat Benham) and Mrs. Claus (Betsy Benham) entered wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. With the help of two elves, Pat Hooker and Miriam Green, gifts were distributed to all, revealing who their secret sister was for the past year. The afternoon ended with the singing of Auld Lang Sang and O Canada. Our next meeting is Jan. 9 at 1pm, with Healthy Lifestyles convenor Hooker.
On behalf of the members of Damascus Women’s Institute I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy and Safe New Year.
Public Relations Officer – Shirley Langdon
