This column will be short and sweet because I should be at the wrestling match but decided I HAD to get finished with my newspaper stuff so when I return home I can concentrate on the picture pages.  Time is in short supply this time of year and I tend to always be behind!

Check out my new website, www.pamspictures.com.  More galleries should be added weekly.  Hopefully having this site will help people from the long wait they have getting pictures from me.  

There's a lot going on this week - CARE for Children's Christmas Party the Rotary is sponsoring today; the Wintersong Concerts Friday and Saturday nights and the Breakfast with Santa Sunday morning at the Veterans Memorial Home.  I've been to Sunday morning breakfasts sponsored by the Sons of the Legion.  They're pretty wonderful!  Add Santa to the mix and it should make for a great Sunday morning.  The event starts early enough for those who would also like to attend church.

Speaking of church,  Pastor Randy will have a Blue Christmas Service at the Port Allegany United Methodist Church on Sunday at 7 p.m.  These services are for those who mourn a loved one at Christmas.  All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Everyday Happy-nings is having an open house this weekend.  Stop by and check out what LaWanda and her staff have to offer.  The Everyday Happy-nings window is beautiful...we all hate the empty store fronts so during this holiday season and all through the year, please support those businesses we still have.  I've got a lot great Christmas gifts from our downtown merchants.  You'd be surprised what you can find!

The DVDs from the Moment to Remember show will be available tomorrow.  The cost is $12 and proceeds go to the library.  You can find them at Joel Anderson's office on Smith Ave.; Port Pharmacy; or the library.

Joyce Stehle told me that her connection with the North Pole to have Santa attend Santa's shop this year was made through Kyle Hunt, not her son, Jefferson, as I reported last week.   Sorry about that, Kyle.

Mike and I attended the Breakfast with Santa sponsored by Verallia.  It was held at the Moose...breakfast was great...Santa was great...the gifts Santa handed out were loved...and the crafts and face painting were a hit!  Thanks to every  one involved.

Our Sunday School Christmas Program was held during morning worship Sunday morning following Breakfast with Santa.  The breakfast, prepared by Joy Barnard with some help from her mother Lorraine Bova, was delicious!   Her sister, Jill, was the director of the program that followed.  A new feature was added to this year's performance - a Bell Choir!  The kids did a great job.  The bells will surely appear again throughout the year.  Patty Fabish's class and the Jr/Sr High Class presented the Twelve Days of Christmas with a Christian spin on it.  It was very interesting and the kids did a good job. All the kids took the stage to play the bells from the Bell Choir as the congregation sang Jingle Bells.

Santa made an early stop in Port Allegany thanks to the efforts of Mike Barnard who just happens to have Santa's number at the North Pole. Young and old alike visited with the jolly old elf and promised they've been good and will continue to behave...at least until Christmas Eve.

Congrats to Matt Bodamer who was nominated as an Old Spice Player of the Year.  Matt, along with Seth Lowery, both received custom footballs at the annual Football Banquet for passing the 1000 yard mark...Matt with over 1000 yards passing and Seth with over a thousand yards rushing.  The banquet, which was postponed a couple of times due to playoffs, was well worth the wait.  Nate Zitnik did a great job as MC, the Boosters did a great job in planning, decorating, serving, and the kids were great!  The banquet once again featured a Pat Crants DVD which highlighted the season.  It was, as always, amazing!

On the DVD, Pat had a thank you to Al Lacher who has been the voice of the Gators for the past 20 years.  I didn't realize this was Al's last year.  He apparently started doing the radio job when I started taking pictures.  Anyway, Congratulations, Al, on 20 years of service to the community and to the school...you will surely be missed!