Every Christmas for the last 20+ years, Falls Cable Access has produced a unique program that ties the village denizens together like no other. The Community Christmas Card has been a tradition in hundreds of households and receives the most feedback of any program on Channel 14. Along with little vignettes depicting the Holiday Season, are greetings from community groups and village services. From the service groups like Optimist and Rotary, to the Village staff, and special interest clubs, they all come together on 2 nights in December to give there annual greeting to the public.
Busy Beavers 4-H Club at the annual taping.
Each organization sends a small group of representatives, whether it is their board of directors or some of their members to the high school studio at a scheduled time. A few quick rehearsals, double check the hair, and the cameras roll. Although the actual greetings are only 15 seconds long, most groups and individual spent 15 or 20 minutes visiting with others and some check the posted schedule and wait to see other friends and neighbors when it is their turn. The taping turns into it's own social event. In past years calls were made 3 or 4 weeks before the taping to arrange times. Now groups like the Volunteers in Partnership at Community Memorial Hospital or the Menomonee Falls Community Chamber call in October to make sure they are included.
This year I'd like to extend the invite to any groups that haven't been contacted in the past so they can join the fun. We are also looking for other ideas for the vignettes. For those of you playing with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker on your computer, call me with your ideas or put together that 3 or 4 minute Christmas video using all your favorite snow pictures or all the Christmas lights in your neighborhood. Be creative and festive. Did your school or church have one Christmas musical number that stuck out form all the rest? That could be one of the greetings. Taping for the Community Christmas Card is the week of December 3rd, so email me as soon as you can if you would like to be part of the greetings. If you have an idea or video for the vignettes, they need to be in by the following week.
Send us an email at info@fallscableaccess.com or call the studio (262) 251-2866 and leave a message. You can help make this years Community Christmas Card the biggest ever!
THIS WEEK ON CHANNEL 14
Village Voices ... A can't miss these next few weeks is the show about the Patio Players "Best Christmas Pageant Ever". It includes a moving tribute to long time Menomonee Falls treasure Jack Strawbridge. On another show, we get to meet the new Chief of Police, Anna Ruzinski who provides insight into her first few months in the Falls and plans for the future.
FOCUS on OUR CHILDREN...Once again Host Beth Harwood visits with the Directors and participants of the High School Band Revue and then spends time with the Police liaison and DARE instructors. Upcoming shows include an update from the Superintendent and insight from student leaders in the district.
I Remember..Menomonee Falls....In the latest installment of IRMF, Jim Jeskewitz sits down with 4 of Menomonee Falls special ladies as they discuss "Holidays Past". This is truly the most entertaining show yet as one of the guests shows us at 97 years of age, that memories and anecdotes are truly priceless.
2007 Christmas Parade...There may have been some confusion out there when the Waukesha Christmas Parade showed up on Channel 14 in the Falls. No it wasn't a mistake, Time Warner hired our crew to tape the parade for Waukesha as a sponsor because their mobile van was tied up. As long as we had it, we decided to run it until the Falls Parade was complete. Through the rest of the season it will be available on Digital on Demand Channel 1111. Not available to you dish users.
School and Church Christmas Programs...Any Church or School in Menomonee Falls can send a DVD or VHS (Ugh) to the High School Office marked for Falls Cable Access attn. Harry Stoetzel to have their program air during the Holiday season. They must be in by Thursday December 20th to be included in the rotation.
As Always...Stay Tuned!
