Feature photo: Avery, on the left, and Shaye Van Gilst, seven-month-old twin daughters of Daniel and Riley Van Gilst of rural Newton, enjoy their first visit with Santa Claus at Val's FIne Dining and Cocktail's Christmas event on Dec. 12
A fresh blanket of snow was the perfect backdrop for a Christmas celebration at Val’s Fine Dining and Cocktails in Lynnville on Saturday, Dec. 12. Owner Val Courter opened up her restaurant and provided a safe version of the annual holiday event that started four years ago.
Santa Claus was on site for socially-distanced visits and listened to the wishlists of 70 children. Some of the adults in attendance may have recognized the guy in the red suit as Shane Ehresman of Sully and Lynnville-Sully’s superintendent. Val and her crew of holiday helpers supplied to-go goodie bags full of crafts, stickers, a toy, a cookie with frosting and sprinkles to decorate at home, a magic reindeer mix, crayons, and an orange.
First Place: Joyce MacKenzie
Second Place: Tony & Tammy Rockwell
Third Place: Robin & Lonnie Exline
Sully’s Christmas light judging contest wrapped up on Saturday, Dec. 12. Sully Bucks were awarded to the first-, second-, and third-place winners of the contest. Joyce MacKenzie was named the first-place winner and received $100 Sully Bucks, Tony and Tammy Rockwell earned $50 of Sully Bucks for their second-place residential decorations, and Lonnie and Robin Exline were awarded third place and $25 in Sully Bucks.
Cathryn Dunsbergen, who organized the lighting contest in conjunction with last week's Sully Christmas Celebration, said, “It was awesome to see our town light up at night. I was approached multiple times by community members and families from surrounding areas that thoroughly enjoyed driving around. Thank you to everyone that participated in the competition and decorated their home!”
