Book: Wintersville Citizen

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VOL. 4, NO. 5


INTERSYILLE CITIZEN


THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1965 - SIXTEEN PAGES


    fQf CHRISTMAS

                        GREETINGS



From The Wintersville Citizen


Overcomers Club Receives
Crippled Children's Award


Staff And Newspaper Carriers


    Oh come let us adore Him... and recapture the joy that filled the
    hearts of those who knelt to worship on that first Christmas Day.
With deep sincerity, we extend our greetings and wish each and every one a
truly happy and holy Holiday. It is our fervent hope that the blessed peace
of Bethlehem will be with you now and throughout all the days yet to come.


  Christmas comes but once a year-and into that magic
"once" are packed years and years of well-loved traditions.
Candles gleam brightly, bells ring merrily, glad carols fill
the air.
  Up goes the tree and on go the ornaments and lights, in
many a -borne arid in many other places, too, both in and out
of doors. Evergreen branches, holly and mistletoe decorate the
season.
  Children eagerly await Santa Claus, his sleigh and his
reindeer. Stockings are hung, and greetings and gifts, gaily
wrapped, spread the spirit of Christmas.
  How did it all begin? The manger scene, i, churches and
homes, testifies to the religious meaning and real beginning of
Christmas. To be glad and grateful, to give and to help others
are expressions of that meaning.
  The legends and customs of the holiday season, however,
come from scores of sources, and many ancient festivals have
contributed their part to Christmas as a time of merry-making.
                         *  *  *


Source of Santa
  Origin of Santa Claus as a
gift giver is usually traced to
a real St. Nicholas, bishop of
Myra, in Asia Minor, in the
fourth century A.D. St. Nicho!'
las was renowned for hs gen
erosity, and he still retains his
role as a gift giver in many
countries, arriving on January
S- traditionally the date of
the visit of .the wise men.


Helping Poor
  Principles of Christianity
are reflected in Christmas giv-
ing to the poor and unfortu-
nate. An old legend says that
on Christmas Eve the Christ
Child roams the earth, dressed
as a beggar, in search of food
and shelter. People believed
that any kindness shown a
beggar expressed a love for
Jesus.


Decorating Trees
  In ancient feasts of the win-
ter equinox, trees were adorned
with trinkets. Like many pa-
gan customs, the evergreen
tree became associated with
Christian  observances, and
legends link it to the birth of
Christ. One story says that on
Christmas Eve, all the trees of
the forest bloomed and bore
fruit.

Lighting Candles
  Candleso at Christmas sym-
bolize the coming of Christ as
the Light of the World. Since
earliest times, man has used
lights - torches, watchfires.
beacons -   on occasions of
joyous celebration.
  Custom of placing a candle
in the window on Christmas
Eve is usually attributed to
the Irish. It was thought that
Christ wandered the earth on
that night, and a candle would
show Him a home where H_
was welcome, or help to light
Him on his way.


  Miss Eva Fleming is pictured above accepting an award in behalf
of the Overcomers Club, from the Rev. Mr. Samuel Pollock, member
and past president of the Ohio Society for Crippled Children and
Adults.
  The award, given annually in Ohio was presented to Eva in behalf
of the Overcomers Club, organized 10 years ago by Eva, for the
good the Club is doing in this area for the physically handicapped.
  A victim of cerebral palsy, since birth, Eva has overcome the
crippling effects of the injury to the extent that she is able to main-
tain a busy social schedule and full time employment as librarian
in the Children's Section of the Steubenville Public Library, hilltop
Branch. She is the daughter of Mrs. Alberta Fleming, 4016 Valley
View Ave., Steubenville and the late Howard Fleming.
Rev. Pollock made the presen-   their capabilities. The member-
tation at the annual Christmas  ship of the club includes persons
Dinner of the Overcomer's Club with Cerebral Palsy, Polio, etc.
held in the Buena Vista Metho- They   come  from  Wellsville,
dist Church on December 8.      Mingo, Wintersville, Toronto and
The program for the Christmas   Steubenville.
Dinner included games and a      Miss Fleming and all the club
gift exchange, arranged by Eva, members wish to extend an in-
and group singing, led by Mrs.  vitation to any handicapped per-
Alberta Fleming, accompanied    son, regardless of their handi-
at the piano by Mrs. Larry Tay- cap, race, color or creed, to
lor. The dinner was prepared    join the Overcomers Club. For
and    served by the ladies of  more information contact Miss
the   Buena  Vista  Methodist   Fleming at AM-4-2167 or Mrs.
Church. Assisting for the dinner Larry Taylor at LE-7-3105.
were Mrs. Floyd W. Bauman,       The next meeting for the club
Mrs. Ben Roush, Mrs. Floyd      will be held Wednesday, January
T. Bauman, Mrs. Newell Smith    12 at 7:00 p.m. at the Buena
and Mrs. Howard Bell. The De-   Vista Church.
corations and favors were made             ******
by Mrs. James Hutchinson of the -
Fort Steuben Garden Club.
During an interview 'vith Miss       [il      fl      Z
Fleming about the history of the
Club, she related that the main
purpose of the club is to pro--,,ir                  Pg
vide the members with a social            WE   Orri
outlet. She said that while a                         *
handicapped person is growing
up, activities are planned to in-
clude them during their child-    The giin  of gifts is an in
hood, but after they reach the  dispensable pa of fthe Christ-
age of 15 or 16, because of their  pensable part of the Christ-
handicap, their activities are  mas observance. The Wise Men
very limited and atheirs ctivities aresult, and the shepherds set the pat.
very limited and as a result,   tern whente   aet     eie
their social life is narrowed   tern when they came to Bethle-
to family life.                 hem with presents for the child
The members have adopted as     Jesus. Their gifts, no more than
their club motto "He Who Con-   each could afford, were pre-
quers Himself, Conquers." They) sented with humble sincerity.
meet twice a month at the Buena   Let us not therefore consider
Vista Methodist Church and has  Christmas as a time for "the
a membership of 15 handicapped  exchange qf gifts." If we offer
young adults. The members range a present to someone because
in age from   22 to 45 at the   we know or think they will offer
present time, but Eva hopes to  one to us, we are not giving a
double their membership, there- gift in the true sense. And we
by, including handicapped per-  destroy the significance of gift
sons from   16 years up. The    giving when we feel obligated
club is planning a membership   to give to each individual some-
drive in the near future for    thing that is better'or more ex.
any and all handicapped resi-   Pensive than that which we re-
dents of the area. Their meet-  ceive from them.
ings include such activities as   Gift-giving is in the spirit of
bowling at the Sunset Bowling  Christmas. it is sharing with
Lanes, crafts, guest speakers, others. it is remembering loved
outing in the summer, including ones and friends, it is the re-
swimming, weiner roasts and    membrance-not the cost of the
games, Improvised to include
all the members according to   gift-that makes it worthwhile.


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