Freedom Town Column: Community Club potluck dinner Jan. 11

The Freedom Village Store announces the next installment of STEMS, their flower club designed to give subscribers a different selection of premium, fresh-cut flowers every two weeks. The flowers will be designed into an attractive bouquet and wrapped in cellophane and will be at $25, $20, $15 price points. Going to be away for one of the flower days? Think about gifting your bouquet to someone special while you are gone. Bouquets will be available for pick up from 11-2 on Wednesdays, 10-2 on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays. Pick up your bouquets are early as possible so you can enjoy their freshness. Delivery dates are Jan. 11, Jan. 25, Feb. 8, Feb. 22, March 8 and March 22. For more information, email fvs@freedomvillagestore.org

The Freedom Old Home Week Association is already hard at work planning for 2023 Freedom Old Home Week, which will be held from Friday, July 28, through Sunday, Aug. 6. Mark your calendars now! They are currently looking for theme ideas for the 2023 Freedom Old Home Week. Email your best ideas to freedomfohw@gmail by Feb. 3.

The Freedom School Board is looking for nominations for the “Where Are They Now?” section of the Freedom Schools annual report. If you would like to nominate a former Freedom Elementary School graduate, send a short paragraph or two, including a photograph to kstephan@freedomelschool.com no later than Jan. 15. This should include the dates they attended Freedom Elementary School, a brief overview of what they are currently up to and any notable achievements.

Now is a great time to support the work of the Freedom Historical Society as they prepare to save, preserve, and share Freedom's history for future generations. Please consider sending your donation to FHS, PO Box 548 in Freedom. Don't forget to pick up your copy of the 2023 calendar....chock full of interesting people and events from Freedom's past. It's not too late, you're going to need it to mark down all of the events that are happening in Freedom. Go to freedomhistoriaclsociety.org to learn more.

Carroll County YMCA/Camp Huckins has partnered with Freedom Elementary School to deliver an after-school program, offered Tuesday-Thursday afternoons. They are looking for staff for one, two or three days, whatever works with your schedule. The pay is $15 per hour. If you are interested to learn more, reach out to katie@camphuckins.org.

Thank you to Bob Smart for the following Smart Report: "We have experienced a very warm fall/winter. As planned, the lake level was drawn down to almost 404 feet by early December and remained there until mid-month. River flow to the main electric generators went dry. With mild temperatures in mid December, the rain and snow arrived and have continued into 2023. The lake is full of floating ice but does not have a solid ice cover. On some cold mornings, there will be a thin skin of ice between cakes of ice which melts by 10 a.m. The lake level got up to almost 409 feet by the end of December and will come back down to near 404 feet before spring."

Lisa Wheeler can be contacted at wheelersinfreedom@gmail.com.