Ashland Brownie Troop
earns badges and makes new friends
ASHLAND NEWS
by Susan Feeney Hopkins
Some young ladies from the newly formed Ashland Girl Scout Brownie Troop 1158 recently spent an afternoon with the ladies of Northwood Manor celebrating the Christmas season.
Accompanied by troop leaders Sue Cameron and Jaymie St. Peter, along with “troop Mom” Danielle Chasse, the Brownie girls brought cookies and all the fixings for Christmas cookie decorating.
Photo courtesy of Susan Feeney-Hopkins 
HOLIDAY FUN — Members of the Ashland Girl Scout Brownie Troop 1158 recently spent an afternoon at Northwood Manor in Ashland decorating cookies for the holidays with the ladies. Here, Manor resident Elsie Gibson decorates cookies with Brownies, from left: Cassie O’Clair of Ashland and Lacey Jandreau of Portage Lake.
Each of the girls decorated their own cookies and kindly assisted the ladies in decorating theirs. There was lots of frosting on fingers young and old! When they were done, all the girls and ladies enjoyed eating their special treats together.
Brownie Cassie O’Clair sweetly presented the ladies with a bouquet of flowers she caught at a “special wedding” recently. She expressed her inspiration for giving them to the ladies at the Manor because they “were special too.” The Brownies and ladies then made “paper chains” with seven links each. The number of the links on the chain corresponded with the days left until Christmas and the idea of the chain links is to remove one link every day for the countdown to Christmas.
The Ashland Girl Scout Troop 1158 is a newly formed troop made up of 12 second- and third-grade girls from Ashland and the surrounding townships. This special afternoon spent at the Manor was part of the first “Brownie Journey” to help “make the community a better place.” The girls each earned two badges as they “connected with the community.” These young ladies showed such an easy comfort and compassion toward their community elders. Great job girls! Congratulations on earning your first badges!
Dean’s to host New Year’s bash
Dean’s Motor Lodge in Portage Lake will be ringing in 2012 in style! The festivities will begin at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31 and run until the 2 a.m. closing. The band Common Crossing will be playing live music throughout the night, so there will be plenty of opportunities to dance and let loose.
Entrance to the party is $15 per person or $25 per couple and includes party favors, a champagne toast at midnight and more! It’s a special night out so gather your family and friends together and head to Portage Lake. Dean’s is the only establishment hosting a celebration in the Ashland area so make a night of it and rent a room at the hotel, have dinner and ring the new year in with friends and neighbors while staying close to home. To buy tickets or for more information, call Dean’s 435-3701.
Reflecting on 2011
As 2011 comes to a close, I have taken the time to reflect on the past year; its circumstances and the lessons it has brought. With the loss of my Father this year, 2011 was a year spent within the quiet corners of my mind and those moments of meditation deepened the pure happiness that resides inside my soul.
Losing someone you love should, at the very least, make you appreciate your own life and realize just how swiftly it all passes and ends. Losing my Dad certainly reinforced this for me. Not one to wallow in my own misfortune, I choose to find the goodness and lessons in all of life’s happenstances. I put on my big girl shoes (heels, of course) and continue walking and sometimes running down the path I am on; the one chosen, as well as the unexpected detours life throws at me.
With the sad days also come the happy, and thankfully this past year has given me a good share of them. I have had some exciting adventures and have had many, many laughs and good times with family and friends. What I love most about reflecting on a year as it is passing is having the wisdom and optimism that a new year is coming and wondering what will be in store for me. Will this be the year I finally finish my book? Lose those 10 pounds? Go to Nepal? The possibilities are truly endless. All you need is the desire and drive and you can in fact attain whatever it is you desire. You just have to believe.
I thank all of you for taking the time to read my column. Your support, kinds words, e-mails and notes mean a lot to me and I appreciate each and every one of them. A huge thank-you to those who have provided me with information and photos throughout the year, as well. I appreciate your assistance greatly! May 2012 be your best year yet!
Susan Feeney-Hopkins is the correspondent for Ashland, Portage Lake, Oxbow, Masardis, Garfield, Nashville Plantation and the surrounding areas. She can be reached at 435-8232 or Feenhop@aol.com.
