The holidays are upon us, with Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the bend. I know things are tight this time of year, but if you have something extra to give, consider the Helping Hands Fund, which assists unemployed and disabled Laurel Hill residents. The fund helps pay our needy neighbors' bills and provides them food and clothing. I am directly involved, so contact me at the address below for more information.
You know, many of us don’t count our trials and tribulations as blessings, but if we didn’t have bad times, how would we be able to be thankful for the good? Without tests, how would we know our strengths and weaknesses? One way to look at this hectic season is to simply breathe and be thankful that we are able to even experience it.
Every day can be a blessing and an adventure if we simply have the desire to look at it that way.
OK, enough of my rambling — let's review what's been happening on the Hill!
Nov. 1, Laurel Hill Head Start, along with a few other Okaloosa County Head Start centers, voyaged to Niceville for the annual Pow Wow. There, they learned about Indian culture and witnessed tribal dances and rituals. The children were allowed to participate in the dances and try on traditional clothes. Needless to say, they thoroughly enjoyed that!
Oct. 31, parents readied Laurel Hill Head Start's playground in just an hour for a Halloween festival. The playhouse became "the ooey gooey house," where children used their senses, minus vision, to identify objects. The slide became a "spooky slide" haunted by ghosts, witches and bats. Additionally, children could roll pumpkins in competition. From there, they took their prize pumpkins to the painting station and decorated them! Face painting, a fish-for-prizes booth, bobbing for apples and pin-the-tail-on-the-kitty were other enjoyed areas. All the 3- and 4-year-olds had a blast!
Following the festivities, I headed over to Laurel Hill School, where the annual trunk-or-treat took place. Pre-k, kindergarten and first-grade students paraded around the parking lot trunk-or-treating. What wonderful costumes! The rain caught us off guard, but that didn’t deter our Hoboes! Each vehicle was festively decorated, and some facilitated children's games. This year's trunk-or-treat received a very large turnout — I believe the biggest yet — so thank you to all the volunteers!
Amber Kelley lives in Laurel Hill. Send news or comments to Hobo.homefront@gmail.com or P.O. Box 163, Laurel Hill, FL, 32567.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: THE HOBO HOMEFRONT: Fund set for needy Laurel Hill residents