Masaryktown needs two council members

Nazdar,

The deadline is getting close for two positions on the Masaryktown council. A vice president and one director are needed. The election will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17, at the annual community meeting at the Masaryktown Community Hall on Lincoln Avenue. Applications must be filled out and returned by Tuesday, Dec. 15. They are available at the Post Office on U.S. 41 south across from the Cafe Masaryktown under the yellow blinking light. Gill out an application and return it to Niki, the postmistress.

First Baptist Church of Masaryktown will present its Christmas Cantata at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 20, at the church on Roosevelt Avenue and Kollar Street. The cantata is titled "Light of the World" and is under the directorship of Connie Giddens. For more information, call the church at 352-796-4076.

St. Mary Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church wants to say thank you to the public for the successful cookie sale held last weekend. St. Mary's Christmas cards are also on sale, as well as oplatky. These are wafers similar to those used in Holy Communion only larger, about 3 by 5 inches. Also, a Christmas Eve dinner starts with oplatky in most Czechoslovakian Catholic homes. This evening meal I will share with you.

A white linen tablecloth is spread, candles are lit and everyone gets a plate with an oplatka on it. Next, a teaspoon or more of honey is drizzled on the oplatka in the sign of the cross. Prayers are said. Next, an apple is cut into pieces so all members share in this one apple. Then a walnut is given to everyone and they crack it in half denoting their health in the coming year. If half of the nut is bad, you'll be sick for half of the year and so on. Then soup is served, called Jesus Soup. Christmas Eve is a no-meat and fast day. Soup consists of sauerkraut, prunes, lentils, dried mushrooms, and heavy sweet cream.

Next, noodles like ravioli but filled with prune jam (Lekvar) are boiled together and drained real well and mixed, then mixed again with Lekvar and poppy seed (mak). Supper is over; time to go to midnight Mass and come home and see what the Baby Jesus brought us for Christmas. That was our use for oplatky. The oplatky are $5 per package of four and can be obtained at the church office by calling 352-796-2792. They are also selling oplatky at Holy Trinity. Call them at 352-796-4066 for more information.

Joy Weld had a grand surprise from her son, Alan Lawson of Dunnellon. He came to spend dinner with Mom and made the turkey himself. He knew Mom couldn't anymore, so he prepared it and came over. Both had a delightful meal together on Thanksgiving Day.

Congratulations are in order for 12-year-old Sabrina Impreso, who is in seventh grade at the Challenger K-8 School of Science and Mathematics. The school recently had a history contest, and Sabrina took first place and is eligible to participate at the district level. We wish her good luck, as do her proud parents, Dorothy and Rico Impreso.

Birthdays and anniversaries

Happy birthdays to: Louise Hunter - Dec. 14; Susan Baker - Dec. 15; Jeremy Kardos, Carol DeVitt, Donna Martin, Danny Thomas - Dec. 16; Donna Loughran - Dec. 17; Robert Kent, Sara Boyer - Dec. 18; Janet Tomes, Chuck Premorel, Sharon Buchan - Dec. 19.

Wedding anniversary wishes to: Karen and Buddy Boyer - Dec. 16.

S Bohom