Alverne Boresiuk, left, picked up a poinsettia this morning from Donna Lowey at The Christmas Store as part of a Fort Frances High School senior band fundraiser for its upcoming trip to Italy during the March Break. The festive plant costs $12, with half of the proceeds going to help bring the band one step closer to meeting its fundraising goal.

J.W. Walker’s Grade 7/8 band paid a visit to Rainycrest yesterday to bring some musical cheer to residents there. The band also performed its repertoire earlier this afternoon at Safeway.

Newly-elected Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty, centre, cut the orange ribbon at the opening of his new constituency office here Saturday. Located in the old CN station on Fourth Street West, Rafferty will be sharing an office space with local MPP Howard Hampton, who was on hand for the opening along with Shelly Haney, left, Pam Hawley, Bill Punshon, and Mike Mosley.

Fort Frances Canadians’ forward Jeff Gustafson (#27) was stopped on a point-blank chance by Wayzata goalie Sam LeNeave during Sunday’s final of the Gus Lindberg Memorial Midget ‘AA’ tournament at the Ice for Kids Arena. Wayzata captured the tourney title with a narrow 3-2 victory.

Members of the student council at Donald Young School gave up part of the lunch break to paint signs for the school’s float in the Santa Claus parade this coming Friday (Dec. 5) as part of “Holly Daze” festivities in Emo. The student council, members of P.A.L.S. (Participation Activity Leaders), and the cast from “Seussical the Musical” will ride on the float in the parade, which will run from DYS to the Golden Age Manor via Front Street starting at 6 p.m.