At Christmas time… Counting our blessings in Du Quoin

I want to take this time to wish all the residents of Du Quoin a happy holiday season, and a healthy and prosperous 2016. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or are of another faith or tradition, the holidays are a time to reflect upon the many blessings that we have enjoyed throughout the year both personally and collectively as a community. Let's all take some time to be thankful for the many blessings that have come our way.

As we celebrate the holiday season, let us also remember the servicemen and women who remain in harm's way, and who are away from their families this holiday season. Let's continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers and let us pray that they may be rejoined with their loved ones. And, let us also pray that 2016 will be a year of joy and peace for each of them. As a community, we thank them for their service to our country.

There are many people to thank in our community. They have brought about many acts of kindness that have served all of us during the 2015.

Thank you to:

---our city employees and staff for their continued hard work, dedication and commitment to the residents of Du Quoin,

---Judy Smid and her countless volunteers on the Tourism Board for their hard work to make our Holiday Lights Fair a huge success,

---the Du Quoin State Bank for donating the new community Christmas tree at the Central Plaza,

---Teresa and Bob Markotay for their donation of the lights for the Lantern's on the city's main street,

---the commissioners who serve with me on the council, and

--- each of you, the citizens of our beautiful community, who have stood behind me as your Mayor.

On December 6th Rose and I were guests at the Gospel Assembly Church's Annual Christmas Concert. Being Mayor comes with many responsibilities, but it also gives us the opportunity to attend events in our community. The evening was a perfect example of community, a community at work, of collaboration and inspiration. It put the real meaning of Christmas and the vision of the season in prospective.

Over the last few months we have brought pride to our main street--lighting it in pink for breast cancer awareness month in October, green to honor our Veterans in November, red and green to celebrate the holiday season for December.

It is my privilege and honor for me to serve as your mayor, and I look forward to working with all of you in the coming year. We have many challenges ahead, but I know our community will continue to grow stronger and enjoy many successes in the future.

Norman Wesley Brooks wrote a poem on December 17th in 1976 about the real meaning of Christmas, and I am going to leave you with Mr. Brooks' thought:

Christmas is forever, not just for one day,

For loving, sharing and giving are not to be put away

Like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.

The good you do for others is good you do yourself.

The Alongi Family Holiday wish for each of you is:

May your Home be warm

Your Holiday's grand

And may your Heart be held

Gently in the Lord's hands

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!!