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1997 1500 WIT 4x4...... Rockwood ¢ 856-2222 LETTER 72 families helped by Hamper Christmas program To the Editor, --_ The Acton Christmas Hamper Committee sends sincere and heartfelt thanks to the individuals and groups in Acton and sur- rounding areas for your generous support of this year's Christmas Hamper Program. Your kindness helped us to provide ham- pers for 72. families, including 116 children. Christmas was much hap- pier for these people because of your thoughtful- ness, Thanks also to the many volunteers who gave their time to help make this year's program such a success. The spirit of caring and sharing is indeed alive and well here. Thanks again; we wish you God's blessings now and in the year ahead. Sincerely, Acton Rotary Club, Lakeside Chapter, IODE, Salvation Army Acton Family Services, St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Joseph's Church ACHILLES SG 357 Queen St. (Hwy 7) Acton, 519-853-0200 info@achillesmazda.ca NEW SKATES: Acton's Haley Keir, 3, tries out her first pair of skates at the Acton arena on Saturday. Helping are her uncle, Chris Peavoy, cousin Kyle Peavoy and aunt, Carolyn Keir. -- Frances Niblock photo Christmas, Boxing Day sales exceed expectations By FRANCES NIBLOCK The New Tanner Much better than anticipated holiday sales brought huge smiles to the faces of most Acton merchants surveyed after the Christmas and Boxing Day rush. Pre-Christmas sales were beyond all expectations at _ager Alec Boyd said there ;was a lot of last minute shopping all day on Decem- ber 24. On Saturday, Boyd said there wasn't a "hot" toy this year, but they 'had great sales in models, crafts, games and clothing. "Compared to what we estimated, it (Christmas shopping) was about 15 per cent more than we esti- mated," Boyd said, adding even though they are ex- pected to "over achieve" in sales at a new store, every- one is smiling at the Acton numbers. Shena Masroor, manager of Bargains Bazaar in the Main and Mill Street plaza, sounded one sour note, re- porting the worst sales in five years. "We were down since last year almost 30 per cent," Masroor said on Saturday, blaming lagging sales on her new neighbour, Giant Tiger, and the fact they didn't have a full inventory. because the downtown store Achilles Mazeda...your. hometown dealer, will close before February when the lease expire: new ton East plaza were "all right" this holiday shopping sea- son. At Forever Youngsters, the upscale children's cloth- ing store on Mill Street, owner Angie Zampirri was "thrilled" with the volume of sales. Zampirri, in her fifth year of business, had her best year ever, with a double- digit Christmas sales increase over last year. "T was surprised. I'm ex- tremely happy with the loyalty I've had from my customers for so long," Zampirri said, adding many of the shoppers that Giant Tiger has brought to down- town Acton are walking and shopping along Mill Street. Acton resident June Wilson, who was shopping at Forever Youngsters for birthday gifts for three great-grandchildren, said she always tries to shop in -- her hometown. "T love this lady," Wilson said looking at Zampirri, continued on page 2 Happy Holidays Achilles Pelitis Jr _ Achilles Mazda