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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday November 23, 2007 - 15 Santa Claus came to town to make us all smile By Michelle Buttigieg Gr. 12, St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School I t's the day children race out of bed looking forward to the arrival of Santa. Rosy cheeks and smiling faces, nutcrackers and marching bands -- nothing can bring joy to Oakvillians like the Santa Claus parade. Now in its 59th year, the parade is a fun tradition that brings us together in the spirit of Christmas. With this being Oakville's 150th birthday, the event organizers made a special effort to raise the bar. This year's parade boasted 50 floats, 10 marching bands, and the debut of inflatable mascots. The closeness of our community shines through at local events such as this. We huddled in the cold together along the streets to watch the enthusiastic Christmas Through the Decades parade. Many volunteers and sponsors worked tirelessly to orchestrate this spectacular event. The children were amused and excited as they received treats and balloons from costumed characters, watched the floats go by, and danced to the music. Children under 10 had a chance to participate in a colouring contest, created by The Oakville Beaver's artistic director Steve Nease. The winner rode in a Cinderella carriage with Mrs. Claus. The parade also gave residents an opportunity to show their generosity. The Oakville Firefighters collected new, unwrapped toys to ensure no child is left out Christmas morning. The Kinsmen Club collected food donations for the Salvation Army and the Families and Friends of Falgarwood raised money for the Oakville Parent-Child Centre through the sale of red noses. The occasion had a large amount of community involvement, from dance and music schools such as Annex Dance Academy and School of Rock, to various high schools competing in a float challenge. T.A. Blakelock challenged Oakville high schools to join in and create a float. They won for best school float and best overall float. Whether you're a child, teen or adult, in the parade or on the sidelines, the Santa Claus Parade is a good time for everyone and a cherished family tradition for many. On behalf of all of Oakville, I would not only like to thank the volunteer parade committee for putting their time and effort towards the parade, but to also congratulate them on making it a great success. It truly brought us joy, spirit, and touched the hearts of all of us -- and you can catch it on TVCOGECO on Saturday, Nov. 24. IMAGES I N T E R N AT I O N A L S A L O N & S PA 2 0 0 7 H O L I D AY PA C K A G E S "TEEN" MAGIC MAKEOVER A Magic makeover for your teen! Includes shampoo & custom hairstyle, images signature manicure, and finish with a light make-up application to complete this teen makeover $ 69 75 "MEN'S" WINTER WONDERLAND For that special man in your life! A 30 minute relaxation massage followed by an innovative design haircut $ SANTA'S SPLENDOR Our Christmas splendor package! enjoy a pedicure and manicure with our sea salt exfoliation followed by a soothing, warm paraffin dip for both your hand & feet $ 98 CHOCOLATE SECRET SANTA Indulge and melt away with our hydrating "cocoa chocolate" body wrap, followed by a cascading Vichy shower treatment Complete your secret Santa, with a 30 minute aromatherapy relaxation massage $ 149 SEASONAL SERENITY "Images" classic holiday favorite! Pamper her this season with our signature spa facial including our "a la carte" eye treatment followed by our luxury manicure with a SerComplete Salon warm paraffin dip. Complete your afternoon with a design vices custom haircut & style. Microdermabrasion This holiday favorite also includes our gourmet spa lunch Laser Hair Removal Botox & Restylane Spa Packages Electrolysis Facials Waxing Body Treatments I N T E R N AT I O N A Sclerotherapy S A L O N & Therapy S P Massage D A Y Manicure & Pedicure EST. 1980 Gift Certificates $ 199 IMAGES L A North Service OAKVILLE TOWN CENTRE G i f t C e r t i f i c a t e s n o w a v a i l a b l e o n l i n e w w w. i m a g e s s p a . c o m Complete Salon Services Spa Packages Microdermabrasion Facials Laser Hair Removal Body Treatments Gift Certificates Botox & Restylane Sclerotherapy DORVAL CROSSING Dorval & QEW Visit us at our website at 905.338.3333 4th Line Dorval Electrolysis Massage Therapy Waxing www.imagesspa.com QEW Manicure & Pedicure Vo t e d t h e # 1 S a l o n a n d D a y S p a i n O a k v i l l e