The Holabird Advocate celebrates 59 months online today with our 1000th post. The Ditty Bops are in the Christmas spirit, with Ms. Amanda as Olive, the other reindeer, and Ms. Abby as the wife of Santa Claus, Mary Christmas.

Our Publisher sometimes wonders how he made it this far. It seems like only yesterday that he gave up his weekly internet newsletter, "Week-end Update" to try out a Syndicated Blog. When it all started, he thought he'd only be posting once or twice a week. As far as Readers, maybe a few relatives and close friends. Just like the 14 people who read the "Week-end Update" Almost 5 years later, there is an average of 40 hits a day. We've become sort of an institution with just enough success that it won't go to our heads. Still, we can't forget that it's just a hobby. Some people party with Paris Hilton (and without their under britches) some people blog. Blogging is the better hobby of the two.

Holabird Advocate Publisher, Jerry Hinkle, is in a time of transition. From small town journalist, clergyman, and cowboy, to something else the likes of which he can't imagine. It's probably good that he will be able to take the Holabird Advocate with him when the time comes. It will be good to have something with him to help him remember his Holabird roots, and the values that helped to bring him this far. Nobody knows what the next month will bring, much less the next year. But the Holabird Advocate is like the Bailey Building and Loan in "It's a Wonderful Life". To paraphrase the great George Bailey "We need this measly, one-horse institution if only to have someplace where people can come without crawling to Potter." This makes 1000 posts published since January 1, 2002. Let's hope God will let us have 1000 more!

Holabird Advocate Publisher, Jerry Hinkle, got a call last night from Hyde County Clerk of Courts, Marilyn Hanson. She was recruiting talent to perform at the Open House at the Hyde County Courthouse on December 15. Even though he thought Marilyn was scraping the bottom of the barrel, she talked him into it. She has also lined up some of the area grade school kids, and she has even secured the piano playing services of Katherine Hieb. More details will follow in the Highmore Herald. Don't miss this for anything if you can possibly help it.

It was close, but when it came right down to it, there was no other choice this year. Morgen Hoffman is not quite 2 months old, but she has been an example to us all of what is courageous and dynamic.

Morgen was born prematurely on October 13, 2006. Almost right way, she started having problems. She had 3 strikes against her. A hole in her lung, a heart defect, and a tumor on her neck. All three are a distant memory now.

Morgen is not quite out of the woods yet. Those who visit her have to wear a mask. When her brother comes home, he has to take a bath and put on clean clothes every day. That's why I don't go to visit her.

It may be ironic that someone who wasn't around for most of 2006 becomes Holabird Advocate's Person of the year. Some may think that being my cousin helped. But no, I'd have given her the honor no matter what. All of us here at the Holabird Advocate wish to congratulate our youngest "Person of the Year" MORGEN HOFFMAN!