Warm temperatures mean no hockey on soggy rinks

There were no outdoor hockey games in New Hamburg on New Year’s Eve. No boys or girls enjoying the last days of the Christmas holiday. Temperatures rose above freezing, and rain fell to melt snow and turn Waterloo Region into a slushy mess.

Pictured is a home-made rink near New Hamburg’s Lashinger Blvd., abandoned except for two lonely hockey nets.

The NHL’s own outdoor game, the Winter Classic, is set to go Saturday evening in Pittsburgh. Warm weather and rain is also expected there, and gametime has been pushed back to 8 p.m.

Wilmot’s long-standing fix-it man set to retire

For many decades, Wilmot machinist Willard Cressman has used his skills to work with machines. He is finally stepping back from his work. A full retirement won’t be easy for the 85-year-old from New Hamburg, but it’s long-overdue.

Here, you can see a video of Willard working in the Baden Seniors Woodworking Club. And here you can read his profile from the newspaper.

A selfless gift for someone in need

Twelve-year-old Meg O’Krafka, of New Hamburg, wanted to do something special for someone this Christmas, so she decided to donate some of her hair to Angel Hair for Kids. The Mississauga-based charity is a program of A Child’s Voice Foundation that provides wigs and hair loss solutions to financially disadvantaged Canadian children who have lost their hair due to a medical condition or treatment. Meg’s cousin Margot donated hair in the past and Meg has wanted to do the same thing for a couple of years. Earlier this week, Meg finally went for it. After the cut, she had enough hair to donate two 10-inch ponytails to the charity. Check out her new look below.

Local reading of Christmas Carol raises $1,800 for WFRC

This is the cast from the 2010 New Hamburg Dickens’ Christmas Carol, which was held Dec. 12 at Zion United Church in New Hamburg, and raised about $1,800 for the Wilmot Family Resource Centre. In front, from left, are actor Claire Jullien, singers Erin Bardua and Maureen Batt, pianist Charlene Nafziger, back, emcee Paul Knowles, actors Ian Deakin, Thom Marriott, Roy Lewis and Barry MacGregor and producer Nancy Knowles. This was the seventh annual New Hamburg Dickens Christmas Carol event.

Santa on ice

Santa dropped by the Wilmot Recreation Complex this morning for the first of two visits to the free skates that are happening on the east rink this week. Four-year-old Matthew Tomic was one of about two-dozen children who had the opportunity to tell St. Nick how good he’s been this year and get a candy cane from the big guy. If you missed out today, Santa will be at tomorrow’s parents and tots free skate at the WRC from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. He’ll also be visiting all the 6:30 a.m. New Hamburg Minor Hockey practices scheduled this week.

Santa’s workshop, or Wilmot Family Resource Centre hamper day?

Dozens of volunteers made like Santa’s elves last week, piecing together close to 200 hampers for distribution to needy families in Wilmot and Wellesley townships. Wilmot Family Resource Centre’s annual Christmas hamper program generated thousands of toy, gift and cash donations over the last few months. The community was invited to sponsor a family and donate specific items to meet their needs. Several local businesses, organizations, churches and schools pitched in, filling up hampers and donating food, including frozen turkeys, bread, potatoes, vegetables and other necessities that will help make this season special for over 180 families. Pet food was also included in some hampers this year following a successful pet food drive in October.

Below, volunteers Gary Wagler and Indy reporter Scott Cressman load up a wagon with a family’s hamper during last Wednesday’s delivery day at this year’s hamper distribution centre on Huron Street in New Hamburg.

Mennonite Credit Union gives donation to Wilmot Family Resource Centre

New Hamburg’s branch of the Mennonite Savings and Credit Union presented the Wilmot Family Resource Centre last week with a donation of $2,000. Some of the money paid for food hampers, and the rest was given as a donation to the centre.

The money came from the credit union’s Stewardship in Action fund. Local branch employees chose the WFRC as the recipient.

From left to right, Andrew Koch, Todd Steinmann, Darla Hammer, Marylou Gingerich, Charlene Huber, Katie Wagler, Jeff Foster, and Ruth Cressman presented the donation to family resource centre director Trisha Robinson.

Cars crash on Highway 7/8

A two-vehicle accident on Highway 7/8 slowed traffic but caused no major injuries.

The crash occurred at 2 p.m. when a west-bound car turning left collided with a cube van.

The elderly female driver sustained minor injuries, and her car was badly damaged on one side. The male driver of the van was not injured.

Ontario Provincial Police are investigating the cause of the accident.

New Hamburg’s goose population isn’t dwindling yet

Hundreds of Canada Geese are sticking around despite winter’s imminent arrival. This shot taken from the Hartman Bridge over the Nith River in New Hamburg illustrates how much our feathered friends like it here.

Photo by Marta Doucet

Grandview school’s Holiday Extravaganza offers a seasonal treat

Delighted parents filled the gym at Grandview this afternoon for a matinee performance of the school’s annual Holiday Extravaganza.

Here, Teghan Stortz and Maria Peralta, from Mrs. Thaler’s Grade 1 class, get into the rhythm of the African carol Sing Noel during their Holiday Extravaganza performance.

 

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas are Mrs. Gingerich and Mrs. Hawes’ kindergarten students Alen Vollmer, Chris Knight and Ryan Hesch.

Gywin Murray offered her piano playing talents for the concert.

Mrs. Vitello’s Grade 1 and 2 class sing and play Silver Bells. From left, Braden Pfaff, Cassandra Honderich, Ella Seibel and Andrew O’Connell.

Christmas parades roll through Wellesley and St. Agatha

Santa continued his tour through Waterloo Region last weekend. First, he visited Wellesley on the night of Dec. 10 for the village’s Christmas Tyme parade. The evening also featured a live nativity.

Next on St. Nick’s Christmas tour was St. Agatha, which held its parade Dec. 11 to the delight of children and parents. Below, Owen (right) and Jake Howard came with their dad from Kitchener to meet Santa.

Smiling snowman towers over makers

John Barr sent us this photo of his kids, Kyle, Adam and Karli, enjoying the first 11′ Snowman of the year! That’s right — he’s 11-feet tall!

Send us your pics if you can top that everyone!

Let it snow, let it snow….

New Dundee athlete is Canada’s top Ultraman

Wolfgang Schmidt tackles one of the bike legs in the recent Ultraman World Championships in Hawaii. Photo by Josh Baker

Wolfgang Schmidt is Canada’s top Ultraman.

The New Dundee resident was the first Canadian to cross the finish line in the three-day Ultraman World Championships in Hawaii last month.

For the full story, click HERE.

New Hamburg club learns karate skills and captures medals in Toronto

The New Hamburg Karate Club sent 20 students to a provincial tournament on Nov. 28, bringing back 21 medals.

This was the largest group the club has sent to a tournament, and leader Richard Hesch said he was very pleased with how students competed in Toronto.

“We did exceptionally well,” he said. “You don’t always do your best under high-pressure situations.”

The karate club has grown in recent years to almost 70 members, aged 4 to 65. They practice the Chito Ryu style of karate. At the tournament, they competed in kumite, or sparring, and kata, which is a judged routine.

Competing and earning black belts isn’t really the goal of karate, said Hesch. The sport offers a complete mix of strength, balance, speed, and endurance training.

It also teaches discipline and mental focus that also helps students outside the sport. Constant learning and personal growth are all part of the philosophy.

“It’s not just a hobby,” Hesch said. “It’s something that becomes part of you.”

The club will also send competitors to a national tournament this spring.

Results are as follows:
Zach Dredge – 2nd Kata
Josh Potts -3rd Kumite
Amber Dahmer – 3rd kata
Ethan Batte – 3rd Kumite
Owen Crouse – 2nd Kumite
Nolan Rooney – 1st Kata, 3rd Kumite
Rose Bendix – 2nd Kumite
Connor Crouse – 4th Kata
Maria Heemskerk – 1st Kata
Ben Heemskerk – 3rd Kata
Nathan Ward – 5th kata
Jesse Buchenauer – 2nd Kumite, 3rd Kata
Kurt Lowrick – 1st Kata and 2nd Kumite
Madisyn Garrity – 4th Kata
Mathiew Bailey – 4th Kumite
Scott Hay – 1st Kumite
Nickolas Linares – 1st Kata and 2nd Kumite
William Linares – 1st Kata and 2nd Kumite
Joe Brenner – 2nd Kata and 3rd Kumite
Evan Valenta – 4th Kata

Cute Christmas concerts ring in the season

Students from Mrs. Craik’s Kindergarten class at Baden helped ring in the season with their version of Jingle Bells during a Christmas concert at the school Dec. 9. In back, from left, is Colin Jantzi, Allison Allan and Sam Wildfong. In front, from left, is Aidan Cotter, Holly Rosebrugh and Julia Szlechta.