The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor A drive past the corner of Green Street and Phelan Avenue was the cure for anyone who had trouble getting into the Christmas spirit. There, in the Mihalicz family's yard, stood heartwarming ice sculptures of Santa, a snowman, a candle and a Christmas tree. 'Tons of people (have been) taking pictures,' says Craig Mihalicz. No surprise No surprise, then, that it has been named this season's best display in the Light Up in the Spirit of Christmas contest organized by the Chamber of Commerce. Mihalicz accepted the Spirited Christmas Award with wife Jacki-Lyn while giving ample credit to friend Rob Mote, who helped with the display. The Light Up the Town Award, for most lights, went to Grant McCluckie of the South End of Big Island. His brilliant exhibit featured hundreds of bright lights strung along his home and in nearby trees. See 'Store...' on pg. 3 Continued from pg. 1 An inflatable Santa, also illuminated, stood proudly in the yard. The Let's Celebrate Award, for businesses, went to Northern Rainbow's End, where owner Leona Kemp and staff frosted the windows with fake snow and set up five different trees. Kemp said it was a good way to celebrate the season while helping to showcase the store's Christmas stock. Honourable mentions were handed out in two different categories, areas and individuals. Area honourable mentions went to the first block of Centre Street in Flin Flon, the end block of First Street in Creighton and Spruce Avenue in Denare Beach. Individual honourable mentions went to 14 Hemlock Drive, 180 Dominion Boulevard, 111 Manitoba Avenue and 5 Evans Avenue. But it was the Mihalicz display at 42 Phelan Avenue _ the product of 38-plus hours of work _ that really had people talking. Craig Mihalicz extracted large blocks of ice from an area lake and, using a heated piece of aluminum, cut them into stackable pieces. As the hefty pieces were piled several feet high, water was squirted between the cracks to solidify the sculptures. Details A wood-carving tool was employed to engrave the final details, such as Santa's face and the elegant 'Merry Christmas' message adorning the snowman. For nighttime viewing, multi-coloured spotlights were placed in front of the display. This was the second straight year the Mihalicz family put up an ice display that won an award in the chamber contest. But recognition is hardly their motivation. 'It was never about the prize,' says Craig, a geologist at 777 Mine. 'We did it the first year and people really seemed to enjoy it. It (had) nothing to do with going in for any contest _ it was because people enjoyed it.' Throughout the Flin Flon district, which included Creighton, Denare Beach and the cottage subdivisions, more than 35 nominations came through for the contest. Dianne O'Brien, one of four judges, said there were many impressive displays. 'It was really hard to choose (winners),' she said. All winners received a Christmas decoration courtesy of contest sponsor Manitoba Hydro.
