December 3 - Greetings to all. I hope that you celebrated a joyous Thanksgiving with loved ones. Advent is upon us.
So, if you don’t have time to bake Christmas cookies and you want to support two great local organizations, then mark your calendar for Saturday, December 4th, 10:00 a.m. and head to the White Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church Christmas Bazaar and then to the Jeffersonville Presbyterian Church. Both events are terrific events and a great way to support two local volunteer organizations who do so very much for our community.
The Kenoza Lake United Methodist Church will be having their annual, Christmas Eve candlelight service. The service will be at 7:00 pm. Lay Preacher Bud LeConey will be preaching. All are welcome.
I will be picking up some poinsettias for the Kenoza Lake United Methodist Church sanctuary. The price is $15 a plant. Please let me know if you are interested in purchasing one in honor or in memory of a loved one.
Rifle season for White Tail deer is still in process, although the first week of the hunting season is normally the time when most hunters are in the woods. As you probably know, there are a great number of hunting clubs in Sullivan County and many hunting clubs hold a venison dinner. Last Saturday, my husband Ray and I attended the Cherokee Hunting Club’s annual venison dinner. (Ray and I are next-door neighbors of the Cherokee Hunting Club.) What a wonderful event! Glenn Horton and all the folks who helped him served a DELICIOUS meal! There were several young girls serving the food. It reminded me of attending the Bear Tree Hunting Club venison dinner at the Kenoza Lake Firehouse, back when I was around ten years old. I have very fond and warm memories of that venison dinner when after eating, we square danced to Harry Stephenson and a Mr. Krum’s band. Special memories. This coming Saturday, Ray and I will be attending the Iroquois Hunting Club venison dinner.
Faithful readers of the Kenoza Lake News know that Leslie Loeffel has been contributing some history information. Below please read some information from Leslie who is Kenoza Lake’s unofficial historian.
“Many Pike Pond (Kenoza Lake) men served in the Union Army during the Civil War. At least four Civil War soldiers are buried in the Kenoza Lake Cemetery: Conrad Ruppert, Newton Cornish, John S. Cochran, and Cyrus Hogancamp. Cyrus Hogancamp was the son of Mindert and Betsey Hogancamp, early settlers in the Town of Bethel. The family lived on Swiss Hill Road near the intersection with Birch Ridge Road. Cyrus enlisted early in the war in 1861 when he was 19 years old. He served as a Sergeant in Company E, 56th Regiment, New York Infantry. Cyrus died at only 20 years old, on June 1, 1862, of typhoid fever. He is honored on his gravestone with the words “A Soldier’s Grave.”
This history highlight is in honor of Helen Snedeker who died November 9, 2021. When I interviewed Helen in 2014, she told me about singing in the choir of the Kenoza Lake United Methodist Church. In the winters, Oscar (“Doc”) Schminke, a local composer, led the choir. He had high expectations, and the choir sang difficult music with four-part harmony, including the “Hallelujah Chorus.” “Doc” would arrange the music to match the capabilities of the choir and perhaps even wrote some original music for them. He played the church organ so beautifully that Helen felt like she could cry. Members of the choir were Helen and Al Snedeker, Midge Taylor, Helen’s sister Pat Reinshagen, Betty Girrbach, Clarence and Eva Roesner, Dorothy Williamson, and Floyd Eggler.” (Thank you, Leslie, for your contributions.)
So, at this Advent season, please remember to Keep the Christ in Christmas. He is the reason for the season. If someone wishes you Happy Holidays, respond with Merry Christmas.