by Rebecca Tescher Robison
It’s customer appreciation this Saturday in Huntley as area businesses host the 10th annual Huntley Christmas Stroll. It’s hard to believe we’ve had a decade of this tradition and this year it’s expanded.
Starting at 1 p.m on Saturday, Dec. 19, and going until 6 p.m., this year’s stroll features a major addition.
We took an idea from Worden’s play book and merchants throughout the town are participating in the Huntley Bucks Program.
They’ve each given door prizes and to win, you must fill out a “passport.”
Passports are available at all participating merchants and participants simply walk into each of the 12 merchants and have them stamp your passport. When the passport is completely filled, bring it back to R and R Trading for a 6 p.m. drawing. We’ll draw for the many door prizes and also for Huntley Bucks. Huntley Bucks are redeemable at all participating merchants and about $200 will be given away. These have also been donated by Huntley businesses and can be used on your electric bill, shopping, eating and gassing up.
As we’ve mentioned on Yellowstone County News’ page 8-9, we’ve brought back the gingerbread decorating contest and hope you’ll all vote for the best gingerbread house. You’ll see them in the Parkside Deli’s display window and prizes will be awarded to the people’s choice top two winners.
Of course as always at Huntley Christmas Stroll, hay rides, maybe with horses, for sure with a tractor, are a top feature. Valley Baptist Church is sponsoring the hay ride and caroling.
Huntley United Methodist Church will again perform the living nativity.
Sonrise Espresso is sponsoring an outdoor mini-mall craft show. See their ad in this week’s paper for details.
A change this year is that Santa will be at the Huntley fire station and is hosted by your local volunteer fire department.
The fire department has purchased the treat bags for many years which have been handed out by Santa. This year, fire department members will be helping Santa – he’ll get a ride to the fire station in a fire truck! When you hear the sirens about 4:30 p.m., it’ll be announcing Santa’s arrival.
At R and R Hardware, look for the tent and underneath it, we’ll have hot soup from Bailey Garage Doors and we’ll have the popcorn machine cranked up and will offer free popcorn!
It looks to be another fun stroll in Huntley. We hope you’ll drop in and see us.
If you have other plans for the evening, you can stop in early and fill out your passport and get on your way.
As always, the Huntley merchants appreciate your business throughout the year and know we can’t be successful without your help! Thanks for all you do to keep Huntley a thriving community.
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Our coloring contest judge Carol Welch says, “Again, another year of hard decisions.”
Welch, Yellowstone Art Museum Art educator, also said, “I truly enjoy being the judge of the Huntley annual coloring contest. When making the hard decisions, I look at the age level and what little extra is put into the colored image. I also look at color combinations, texture, attention to detail and any added embellishments. I’d like to thank and congratulate all those young artists that entered this year!”
Winners, ages 4-7, are:
First place: Claire Wheeldon, 6, Shepherd; second place: Natalie Lile, 5, Ballantine, third place: Emmalee Casey, 7, Shepherd; honorable mention: Alexia Hogue, 4, Shepherd and Rylan DeVries, 7, Worden.
Winners, ages 8-11, are:
First place: Steffanie Gabel, 10, Huntley; second place: Bailey Chaffin, 9 1/2, Ballantine; third place: Addison Hultgren, 8, Huntley; honorable mentions: Madison Peck, 8, Shepherd and Jake Trotter, 10, Shepherd.
