The Uptowne Olds Committee is considering getting Christmas ornaments made depicting historic Olds buildings – and maybe Town Crier Dennis Patry – possibly in time for the upcoming Christmas season. If not, maybe for next year.Uptowne co-ordinator Deb Aitken and Michelle Jorgensen, a committee member and town heritage advisor made the proposal during a recent Uptowne Olds meeting. The idea would be to sell the ornaments as a fundraiser and/or a way to raise the profile of Uptowne Olds.Aitken pointed out there's lots of potential to continue with the project annually, because there are lots of historic buildings in Olds – especially downtown – so new ornaments depicting historic places could be created for years to come.Aitken says earlier this summer, after she and Jorgensen attended a trade show in the U.S., they received an email from an American company that manufactures similar ornaments. The company proposed making 300 of the roughly three-inch-by-three-inch ornaments for about $2,700 US.Uptowne Olds Committee members were interested in the idea, but balked at hiring an American company to make them. Committee member Murray Elliott suggested seeing if somebody local, like perhaps Olds Iron Works Ltd., could make them. It was also suggested that Stevens Jewellers has the capacity to make something similar.In the end, the committee authorized Aitken and Jorgensen to pursue the idea – including seeing if someone local could make the ornaments. It was also suggested that rather than make 300 of one ornament, manufacturers could make two: perhaps 150 each. One could be of a historic building or place and one could depict Patry in full Town Crier costume.“It's a great idea, it just needs a little more research,” committee member Rita Thompson said.Aitken is doubtful the ornaments could be ready in time for this year's Christmas shopping season, but says they could be ready for next year's.Aitken explained that after she and Jorgensen received the email, the idea had to be broached with the committee to ensure there was enough money to cover the cost of creating the ornaments.Once it was determined there were enough funds to cover the cost of making and distributing the ornaments, they ran into a bit of a scheduling problem. The Uptowne Olds Committee doesn't meet in July, so the proposal didn't come up again until the committee's August meeting.Now Aitken fears there's little time to create the ornaments and market them before the Christmas shopping season begins this fall. She thinks it may be possible to do that -- especially if the ornaments are made and marketed locally -- but she's skeptical.Jorgensen agrees there's likely not enough time to create the ornaments for this Christmas season, although she's not dismissing that possibility entirely either.“Stay tuned, it would be nice, but it might be a little short notice for this Christmas season,” she says.When interviewed, Jorgensen, who works part-time at Olds Iron Works Ltd., hadn't yet had time to see if the company could do the work, especially in time for this Christmas season.She hadn't had time to pursue the idea with Stevens Jewellers either, but notes both companies have worked together on similar projects in the past. She says Stevens Jewellers has laser-engraving technology that can reproduce very detailed photographic images.
"It would be nice, but it might be a little short notice for this Christmas season,"
