Friday, December 12, 200824C THE PARRY SOUND BEACON★STAR CHRISTMAS GREETINGS SPECIAL

442704

Season’s Greetings

Leanne MetcalfMortgage Specialist

I would like to thank all my clients for another successful year.May you and your family have a

wonderful Holiday Season.

705-773-0470

443746

Wishes you and your family ayour family a

Merry Christmas&

Happy New Year!

We thank you for the past 16 years and look forward to serving you

again in 2009.

Happy New Happy New

705.746.9012Medical Associates Bldg., 2nd floor17 James St., Parry Sound

444306

Everyone is Welcome!

58 Seguin Street, Parry SoundFor more details call: 746-9612www.standrewsparrysound.org

Sunday, December 21stMorning Worship at 10:30 am

Singing as we go....Of love "Love came down at Christmas"

Wednesday, December 24thFamily Christmas EveCandlelight Service

at 7:00 pm

St. Andrew'sPresbyterian

Church

Manufacturer of

Friendship,Goodwill,Support.

We have a lot to be grateful for this holiday season and we owe it all to you!

Thanks for being such wonderful

customers and loyal friends.

ALUMINUM & STEEL FABRICATIONAND PORTABLE WELDING info@barkerswelding.ca

BY PAIGE MCWHIRTER

As the season of Christmas fast approaches and some of us feel the pressure to buy, buy, buy as our form of giving to others, I’d like to take a moment and reflect on how great the people of this small town are at giving to others all year round.

I’d also like to thank this newspaper for seeing that cel-ebrating the good in all of us in newsworthy. I look forward to reading the paper, because I know that somewhere within its pages, I will read a heartwarming story. For that, I thank you.

I would like to take this opportunity to share a heartwarm-ing experience of my own with others in the hope that it will remind them of the goodness that exists within all of us.

A few days ago, an “angel” named Mrs. Armstrong pre-sented me with a gift for the students of my Grade 4 class-room. A few weeks prior, she had told me she was beginning to knit “prayer shawls” for others. If you are unfamiliar with what a prayer shawl is, as I was, it is a hand-knitted shawl, which the creator prays over the entire time they are knit-ting. The hope is that the receiver of the shawl feels the com-fort and blessings of those prayers when he or she wears it. In essence, wearing the prayer shawl is like getting a hug that

lasts as long as you want it to!Many of us need a hug. Some of us have difficulty receiv-

ing them and giving them for various reason, but wrapping a shawl around someone to give them comfort is something even strangers feel comfortable doing. Anyone who has ever been in an accident and had an ambulance attendant, nurse or helpful passerby place a blanket around them can attest to this.

While it is nice to be on the receiving end of such a gesture, often we wish we could help someone in pain an dare at a loss in knowing how to do so. At times, I have felt this way as a teacher in a classroom.

A hug that just might last forever

Paige McWhiter’s Grade 4 class sits, surrounding a student sitting in the class rocking chair wearing the prayer shawl – a shawl donated to the class to give upset students a “hug”.