The pandemic made a huge impact that left many people sad of not being able to celebrate as before with the whole family reunited all together. Now as we have the covid vaccine available we are able to do more things and be more safe around each other. 

According to the Stevens Point Journal, “This year’s ceremonies and events promise to be extra-special as they (almost) return to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic caused last year’s holiday events to either be canceled or heavily modified with very few chances for people to gather together.” The pandemic was big and everything had to be cancelled and many people were unhappy about the events they were cancelling because some wanted to spend more time with their families. This year with the pandemic we were able to return back and celebrate more with families and enjoy more holidays together.

Christopher Clough, local journalist from the Green Bay press, “Downtown Stevens Point comes alive with holiday spirit the evening of Wednesday, November 17th with our local favorite, the Holiday Parade. This year’s theme…Let It Snow!”

 The town tries to make things better by having their own small parade with precaution and trying to be better not letting people get sick, and having mini celebrations to make other kids very happy. 

Breanna Kehl- Rousseau is an interesting, intelligent person, is excited about returning to the local events. In my interview with her I got to ask her questions and got to know more of what she likes to do during the holiday activities, one of the questions I got to ask my person is if they like the winter event. She loves going to winter events and also she loves to go to the light shows they have on, holding parades they have going on and also the light shows she goes with family and friends.  

Are you going to the winter events coming up? Breanna said that she plans on going to the light shows when it starts, she wants to go to the ones in Milwaukee and ones that start here. I asked her if she is going to black Friday? She says that she wants to go this year, and that she could get a lot of stuff cheap so she doesn’t have to spend a lot of money when it comes to Christmas. I also asked her what is her favorite event she likes to go to, she said she likes to go to the ones in Milwaukee. And that the whole neighborhood is full of decorations, and some play music and many people can drive and see the different decorations that people put up. Breanna said that she normally never decorated the house but always wanted to, but moving in with her foster family hopefully they will decorate the house. She loves doing any winter event but doesn’t like the cold. She wishes that it would be warm so her hands wouldn’t freeze and wind blowing in her face. 

The Return of the Ice Rink in Stevens Point

 According to the Stevens Point Journal “The city plans to move the ice skating rink it sets up at Pfiffner Pioneer Park to the public square in downtown after a request made by the Stevens Point Alliance, a nonprofit group representing downtown businesses” The nonprofit group had made a request for the ice skating rink to be changed into a bigger place so many more people could enjoy and have more time and try more things or activities with their families. 

Another analysis I got was that  “The downtown ice rink would mean shifting the annual Christmas tree.” This change would be so much better because there is going to be more space to be parked and many more people are going to enjoy and be together.

“We appreciate the city for helping the downtown stay active and vibrant.” This quote sounds like they are trying to bring everybody together and let them have a chance of the fun that goes around.  The importance of my story to spash students is to give them more information and more stories of the things that have been stopped and the things that are still going on.