Willow carnival just the ticket

Valley residents are rightfully proud of the beauty of their surroundings. Right outside our back doors, practically, is a veritable wonderland of recreation opportunities and means to take advantage of the abundance of our natural bounty.

These wonders may be more easily enjoyed in the summer, but they should not be forgotten in the winter, either. Folks who make getting outside a part of their routine already know what others are missing.

Recent fresh snow likely brought a measure of relief to snowmachine, dog-mushing and ski enthusiasts, who have had limited local options in recent winters. But opportunities for winter fun are not limited to the adventurous, especially this weekend.

The 46th annual State Winter Carnival gets under way in Willow tonight. The two-weekend event is jam-packed with activities, indoor and out, for the whole family, young and old. A full schedule of events appears on page A3 of this newspaper.

Each weekend, Saturdays are geared toward children, with the Willow library taking center stage for story-telling and arts and crafts sessions.

It all adds up to fun for all, and it couldn't be undertaken without a monster volunteer effort by Willow residents and the Willow Area Community Organization. Preliminary planning begins months ahead of the event each year. For weeks prior, volunteers are recruited for duties from trail-crossing guards to kitchen help and everything in between.

It may be the nature of these things that such effort goes unnoticed by carnival-goers. But, clearly, there would be no carnival without community, and few do it better than Willow.

Find out what it's all about beginning tonight. There's a carnival kickoff dinner at 6:30 at the Willow Community Center, followed by fireworks at 8:30.