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Page 2B BRIGHT/ SUGAR RIDGE By Debby Stutz Community Correspondent [email protected] A friend recently shared a photo of downtown Bright from fifty years ago. We talked about how the sky- line is not the only thing that has changed throughout the years. Our sleepy little town has become hurried with many people, eateries and bistros, and gas stations. I personally find it very exciting. Infrastructure has been updated, and our roads look fantastic. The future is Bright! I can hardly wait to see what 2019 will bring. A note to all of you snow- birds wintering in warmer climates…brrrrr! It’s cold up here. I hope to be visit- ing some of you soon to get the chill out of my bones. Thelma Stutz and I will O make our pilgrimage to see Denny and Becky Stutz in Florida soon. We will try to bring back some warmer weather. Meanwhile, I will keep the fire stoked and finish the crochet project I started seven years ago. I say I’m going to finish that afghan every year. If you have decorated all you can, bought all you can, wrapped all you can, and baked all you can, consider giving all you can. Give back to the community. Many non-profit organizations in the Bright area rely on dona- tions just to keep the lights on. The North Dearborn Food Pantry, Bright Lions Club, and Safe Passage are three organizations near and dear to my heart if you’re looking for suggestions. This time of year, when my heart is super cheerful, I feel super generous. Ok Grinches, I can see you rolling your eyes. Try giving- it will make you feel great! From our family to yours, we wish you a Merry Christ- mas and a Happy New Year! May your 2019 be Bright! THE BEACON ur Communities HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE By Korry Johnson Community Correspondent [email protected] Happy Holidays!!! Whose head is not spinning by mid-December? I want to know your secret. Shopping, making cookies, decorating, parties, making Christmas January Birthdays! Shelby Lahey, Sarah O’Conner, Stephanie Armbruster, Jackie Penning, Reilly Small. January Anniversaries: None… too cold! Welcome new residents! Stephen and Jennifer Rob- bins, Edward and Pamela Wilson, James and Kathryn Kelley. Please email me, Korry H. Johnson, if you have some- thing to share in next month’s article at hvl@goBEACON- news.com. Share your posi- tive news at The Beacon! By Laura Keller Community Correspondent [email protected] Two local St. Nicholas school students have a lot to be proud of. Mary Schmidl, a sixth-grader at St. Nicholas and the daughter of Mark and Leah Schmidl, placed first in the Batesville deanery speech contest. Her speech was titled “Please God, I’m Only 17” and described a 17-year-old who convinced her mom to let her drive to school, only to drive too fast, wrecking her car and dying. Mary’s classmates Alyssa Riehle, Isaac Vollmer, Nolan Maple, Macey Pierce, Albert Hudepohl, and Paxten Feller QUALITY SERVICE • COMPASSION • DEDICATION NICOLE & JOHN WUESTEFELD cards… wow. I’m already overwhelmed just thinking of all that I have to do! Try to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year. Mark your calendars for the Annual Polar Plunge on New Year’s Day 2019!!! Festivi- ties begin at 11:30 A.M. and the actual plunge is at noon. BRRRRRR!!! Dec. 19 is the Civic Club’s card night at 6:30 PM. Just a reminder, card nights are every third Saturday until April 21, 2019. The Civic Club is also having Trivia Night on January 19. Further details are TBD. NEW ALSACE A Family Tradition Since 1800’s [phone] January 2019 25615 STATE ROUTE 1 • DOVER, IN WWW.ANDRES-WUESTEFELDFH.COM Archbishop Charles C. Thompson poses after a Nov. 6 Mass at All Saints church - St. Paul campus in New Alsace. From left to right: altar server John Crawley, Father Jonathan Meyer, Archbishop Charles Thompson, and Deacon Bob Decker. also received first place for their speeches. The judges consisted of Oldenburg Acad- emy students and Thomas More college speech majors. Participating schools included St. Lawrence, Lawrenceburg; St. Mary’s, Aurora; St. Louis, Batesville; St. Mary’s, Greens- burg; St. Nicholas, Sunman and St. Michael’s, Brookville. Robbie (Big Ro) Stewart, the grandson of Bob Bissett and Barb Fuchs, received the Sunman- Dearborn Middle School seventh- grade Trojan Robbie Stewart Award. The coaching staff chose Robbie because he demonstrated excellent attitude and teamwork. Robbie previously played football for the Sunman-Dear- born Youth league, and he has also played basketball for the St. Nicholas Trojans for the past two years. Robbie is an honor roll student at St. Nicholas Catholic School in Sunman. Keep up the good work, Robbie! Jerry and Janet Graf were married twenty years in October and celebrated their milestone anniversary with a trip to Savannah, GA, Chat- tanooga, TN, and Nashville, TN. Congratulations and best wishes for many more years of marital bliss. A beautiful new statue resides in St. Paul’s church. Deacon Bob Decker carved a statue of Simon Brute. On Nov. 6, Archbishop Charles Thompson came from India- napolis to bless the statue. If you’re ever in the area, stop by the church to admire the wonderful carving job. I would love to hear from you! If you have news in the New Alsace area you’d like me to share, please contact me at newalsace@goBeaconnews. com. Choosing A Live One For The Holidays…Puppy That Is! That big day is approaching and you have it all planned out in your head. The kids unwrap a cute, cuddly puppy with a bow tied around its neck and there will be peace on Earth. In talking with guest contributor and veterinarian, Dr. Steven Hubbard of the Bright Veterinary Clinic, many pet purchases during the holidays are based on impulse and emotional needs, and possibly not for the realistic responsibilities of raising a new puppy. Dr. Hubbard suggests that parents ask them- selves some key questions, first. Who is going to be the primary pet caregiver? Does the dog fit your lifestyle? A small, eight week old puppy that does little more than entertain the family initially, may mature to be a seventy pound destroyer of your family’s possessions. Ask yourself, do you have the time and the area to raise and exercise a large dog? Have you budgeted for food, veterinary care, shelter, and other expenses? Have you researched the various types of pets, their personalities, and size expectations from reliable sources, such as your local pet store, library, or veterinarian? The doctor suggests that you consider buying a pet a few weeks after the Christmas Eve/Day celebration. He stated that a new puppy can cause extra strain during the holidays as families become busy with guests, visiting with friends, and possibly traveling. This often leaves the puppy less attended to or sometimes trampled on during the gatherings. It can cause the puppy stress, too! Dr. Hubbard stated that many new puppies have special needs and it is very important to devote much time to them during the first weeks. He recom- mends making a puppy purchase from a responsible breeder. You can see the puppy interact with his/her parents and it allows you to see what the puppy will grow into as an adult. Plus, you can evaluate the parents’ disposition and behavior. It’s very important to have the puppy evaluated by a veterinarian immediately and to follow up with any necessary vaccinations and deworm- ing. It is recommended that they have vaccines at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age. You can also consider adopting a pet from an animal shelter. They often have a wide range of ages and breeds to choose from and they are all looking for their forever homes, too! Dr. Hubbard stated that during the months of January, February, and March many animal shelters take in a large number of Christmas present pets that turned out to be more difficult and more responsibility than families could handle. Dr. Hubbard advises to think hard about your decision to buy a puppy during the holidays. Do your research first and make the purchase for the right reasons when your family is ready. Bright Veterinary Clinic 24505 Stateline Rd. Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 812-637-1345 Dearborn County Animal Clinic 350 Fourth Street Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 812-537-3545 www.brightvetclinic.com IF YOU LIKE THE BEACON…PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS, AND TELL THEM YOU SAW THEIR ADS IN THE BEACON. THANK YOU!