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By Mary Stupart The Christmas Story is a little more real and meanâ€" ingful for students at St. Thomas Acquinas school this year thanks to a magâ€" nificent nativity scene on display in the school‘s front hall. The stable scene, ctomâ€" plete with wise men, shepâ€" herds, _ camels, _ angels, Mary, Joseph and the baby was lovingly fashioned by the school‘s caretaker, Jim Lessard of 282 Erb St. East, Waterloo. Mr. Lessard enjoys makâ€" ing figurines, string art and velvet, crepe roses. Eviâ€" dence of his creative skill is scattered throughout the school from the stringâ€"art sailing ship in the secreâ€" tary‘s office to a miniature drummer boy on the prinâ€" cipal‘s desk. The genial â€" caretaker, who has worked at the school since its construcâ€" tion seven years ago, says he makes things "just to see if I can do them." "It started out that I wanted to make a 30â€"inch Jim Lessard of 282 Erb Street East puts the finishing touches on a Christmas creche he made. nativity scene is on display in the front hall of St. Thomas Aquinas school. Now you can give your potted plants a perfect water supply with the allâ€"new. n @@ â€" 0 _ â€" _ _ _ _ 2 Gifts and Nautical Things! Westmount Place Shopping Centre Westmount Rd. & Erb, Waterioo Phone 576â€"0730 Daily 9:30 to 6â€"â€"â€"â€"4 ors. & En 10 o um School caretaker creates magic B Fleuromat is a new Hydroâ€" Automatic Seltâ€"Waterina L 9.95 THE PORT HOLE Fleuromat is a new Hydroâ€" Automatic Seltâ€"Watering Planter that takes all the worry out of caring for your potted plants. One filling of the hydro reservoir is enough to give your plants all the water they need . . . for up to 4 weeks! Overwatering is avoided. The roots receive oxygen. Your plant is fed automatically. And the results are luxurious, healthy plants! It‘s fun. It‘s exciting. And it‘s all so easy ... with the Fleuromat ... from the Port Hole, of course. Regular 11.95. Now Stark white angels with golden trumpets â€" stand guard on the roof of the stable under the glistening light of a silver star. Wise men with shining boxes of jewels stand around the manger on bended knee. statue of St. Thomas for the school. But 1 thought I would begin with a small figure first. 1 started to make a wise man but I had to buy three ceramic heads at once. What good is one wiseman? Everything just mushroomed from â€" there until I had the whole set of nativity figures." Last year Mr. Lessard made a small Christmas creche with figurines meaâ€" suring six to eight inches high. His nativity scene this year is much more impressive. Statues of shepherds and _ wisemen stand an imposing 16 inches high under a brown stable roof that looks like wood but is painted styrofoam. Although many items used in constructing the nativity scene can be bought in craft shops, Mr. Things! ping Centre , Waterioo 30 9: Lessard prefers to make his own. ‘"A lot of the things you can buy, but it‘s up to the person himself. If he has the imagination, he can make realistic things himâ€" The ceramic heads for the figurines were purchased at a craft shop, but Mr. Lessard adorned them with beards, hair and delicate skin tones so they became his own individual creations. The handsomely, draped costumes worn by the figâ€" urines were designed by Mr. Lessard and hardened into a definite shape with a chemical substance. His talent for creating beauty with improvised materials is illustrated by the wise man‘s box of jewâ€" els which he made out of a paper clip box. He lined the box with velvet and glued a tiny border of gold braid around it. Then he fastened a cascade of glass beads to the bottom of the box. The result â€" a gleaming gift fit enough for any king. WATERLOO COMMUNITY SERVICES in coâ€"operation with other local groups have prepared a list of proâ€" grams, ideas for children during the Christmas Holiâ€" days. The program includes: 1. FREE ICE SKATING TIMES 2. BOWLING TIMES & PLACES 3. CHILDRENS MOVIES 4. MAGIC SHOW 5. HOLIDAY BUS TOURS 6. CHILDRENS PLAY. etc. Flyers have been sent to the Waterloo School Children to further explain these activities If you have not reâ€" ceived this flyer or require more information please Phone COMMUNITY SERVICES at 576â€"2420 HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS Mr. Lessard wanted a camel to complete the naâ€" tivity scene. He couldn‘t find one large enough in local stores so he made it himself. The majestic camel, with jewelled saddle and â€" braided tail, was carved out of styrofoam and painted brown. Mr. Lessard is not afraid to ask for help with his creations. When he didn‘t know how to wind a turban correctly for one of the wise men, he asked the Pakistani husband of one of the school‘s teachers to do it for him. Mr. Lessard admits that one of the reasons he made the Christmas scene was ‘"‘to have something speâ€" cial for the kids at St. Thomas." ‘"‘*Actually I don‘t know how many hours I spent on it. You‘d never be able to count them.*" Estimating the cost of materials used for the naâ€" tivity scene is also difficult. However he says it cost him between $250 and $300. CHRISTMAS Waterloo Chronicle, Wednesday, December 17, 1975 â€" Page 23 Tickets available at the Adult Recreation Centre SATURDAYS This year our Christmas Concert will feature : THURSDAY December 18 CHRISTMAS CONCERT FRIDAY December 19 Christmas Dance 7p.m. â€" $2.00 (includes lunch) FRIDAYS Dec. 19th SUNDAYS Dec. 21st Any senior citizen needing snow shovelling done this winter call the adult recreation centre. 579â€"1020. PROJECT "HOPE" New Horizons Program All Adults over 40 years old are welcome to try a hobby with "HOPE" MONDAY 9 a.m. Oil Painting. 9:30 a.m. Mixed Crafts TUESDAY 9 a.m. Oil Painting 9:30 a. m. Sewing 9:30 a.m. Advanced Crocheting WEDNESDAY 9 a.m. Advanced Oil Painting 1:30 p.m. Creative Stitchery and Needlepoint THURSDAY 9: 30 a.m. Beginner Crochet FRIDAY 9:30 a.m. Macrame Registration fee $3.00 for each course for 10 weeks. Registration for these classes start December 4, 1975 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Classes begin Monday January 12, 1976. Call 579â€"1020. Include: Games Room, Floor & Table Shuffleboard. Billiards Rooms, 10¢ tea & coffee. Note: No memberâ€" ship needed. INFORMATION : 579â€"1020. CHILDRENS LEARNâ€"toâ€"SKATE PROGRAM SECOND SESSION BEGINS JANUARY 4TH COST: $5.00 for 10 wks. Registrations for boys & girls ages 5â€"12 yrs. of age will be accepted at Waterloo Community Services Dept. Please include name, address, phone & age. Make cheques payable to CITY OF WATERLOO c/o Waterâ€" loo Community Services â€" 3rd Floor â€" Marsland Centre WATERLOO, Ont. Activities Daily Mon. â€" Fri. There will be no quilting throughout the remainder of this year. Quilting will reâ€"commence Thursday January 8, 1976. Please check the Chronicle for time. Audioâ€"visual Centre open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Come in anytime and enjoy programmes on a variety of topics. PRICES: Children 25¢ Adults 50¢ Family $1.00 MOSES ALBERT | SPRINGER | McCORMICK ARENA ARENA ACTIVITIES FOR SENIOR ADULTS ADULT RECREATION CENTRE (Corner of King & Allen St.) 2 p.m. MERRY MELODIES CHOIR JOLL Y OLDSTER DRAMA CLUB PUBLIC ICE SKATING SUNNYSIDE SENIOR PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOIR LOCATION : Waterioo Arena Sun. Dec. 21st â€" 7: 00 p.m Siskins vs. Preston SANTA SWINGS JUNIOR ‘B‘ HOCKEY Family Only (See Below) 3: 30 â€" 5:30 pm 5:30 â€" 7: 30 p.m. Family Price 8:00 â€" 10:00 p.m. ADULTS ONLY â€" GO SISKINS GO â€" 7 :00 â€" 9:00 p.m. General PROJECT PROP ACTIVITIES QUVILTING Marsland Centre: 576â€"2420 COMMUNITY SERVICES All Welcome 8 :30 â€" 10: 30 pm General 2:00 â€" 4:00 pm Family Price General â€" Family 3:30 â€" 5:30 pm