Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses;

Count your joys instead of your woes;

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Count on God instead of yourself.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Arcanum Wayne Trail Historical Society invites everyone to stop by their Christmas Bazaar on Nov. 24 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The bazaar will be offering a larger variety than ever before for early Christmas shopping and decorating at the guaranteed lowest and most affordable prices. New this year will be aprons, snowmen with moving arms, rocking horses, slender decorated Christmas trees including a Buckeye tree, delicious baked goods ready to use or freeze for your holiday entertaining. The society’s famous Cheeseburger soup will also be available for purchase. There will be a long and tempting number of items included in Beck’s Boutique featuring sweatshirt jackets, jewelry, scarves and more. Everyone attending will be entered in a door prize drawing with a bazaar purchase. There will be 50-50 raffle tickets available at the bazaar if not purchased from a historical society member in advance. The drawings will be held at 8:45 p.m. the day of the bazaar. One last reminder, there are Christmas decorations galore and too numerous to mention. Come and enjoy browsing and early Christmas shopping.

Christmas on George Street in downtown Arcanum will be this Saturday, November 24th with the annual Christmas parade, tree lighting, and luminary walk uptown. The parade will begin a 4 p.m. followed by the tree lighting and luminary lighting on the streets. New this year is all new LED lights on the huge Christmas tree on the corner by Santa’s house (in Troutwine’s car lot). Also new will be lighted garlands on each of the light poles on West George Street in front of the local businesses. Horse-drawn carriage rides will be offered all evening from 6 to 9 p.m. weather permitting. Most of the local stores will be open from 9 to 9 for this special event in our hometown. New Dawn will be caroling at the Historical House Gazebo from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The Trojan Spirit Shop will be open from 3 to 6 p.m. in the old Fox Pharmacy building on North Main Street. Also available on the George Street side of that building will be sandwiches and drinks by the members of the Arcanum Garden Club. Two local families are opening up their homes for an Open House tour to our community; be sure to stop by and view these beautiful old homes dressed for Christmas; the open houses will be at 120 West George Street and 203 West George Street.

Do you like the “idea” of spending money locally for gifts, but haven’t quite made the leap from the buzzing neon lights and door buster chaos that Big Box stores offer? Are you ready to kick that corporate habit? Then let’s do it! This Saturday is the celebration of SHOP LOCAL SATURDAY, what better time to make a hearty effort to support our local merchants by spending your money in your local hometown! Did you know that 68 cents of every dollar remains in our community when you shop local? Spread some cheer this year with gifts from one of our local stores.

Public servant Monte Clark retired October 31st after many years serving the Village of Arcanum. Thank you Monte for your many talents in working and volunteering for all of us on the fire department, the Council, and the Board of Public Affairs.

Carolyn Robinson, Clerk/Fiscal Officer recently retired from the village offices after serving for the past eight years. Thank you Carolyn for your dedication and service.

Kelly Brehm also retired after 30 years of service to village utility plant. Thank you Kelly for all your hard work and dedication to the Village of Arcanum.

“Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not a coincidence.” ~Erma Bombeck

Vickie Rhodehamel is a volunteer citizen columnist, who serves Daily Advocate readers weekly with her Arcanum community column. She can be reached by calling 937-692-6188, by e-mail at krhodehamel@woh.rr.com. Viewpoints expressed in these opinion pieces are the work of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.