The Weed Mercantile Mall, that was once the dwindling remains of an old town saw mill company store, now thrives as a community hub for planning and hosting social events for kids, seniors, and youth.  For the past eight years, ideas have been cultivated at the Merc, and have been put into action to benefit the community of Weed.
     This year (2004) was no exception. Hundreds of meetings were held that brought plans to fruition through the help of volunteers.
     Well before the Christmas season was underway, community volunteers of the Weed Revitalization Coalition, the core volunteer group of the Merc, used the Merc as a staging area to prepare wreaths and decorations that would light up the city hall, Centennial Plaza, and the town Christmas tree.
     The preparation for the events began shortly after the Merc's Annual Halloween Haunted House 'Fright Night,'  which attracted hundreds of kids who knew it was the place to be for Halloween.  City council members, the chamber, individual volunteers, college, high school, and grade school students along with the local police and fire department came together to make the Haunted House event a success.
     Several weeks before Christmas, the Merc's Christmas Craft Fair welcomed families and supplied kids with materials to make Christmas tree decorations and crafts.  A number of volunteers helped John Oliver, of the Weed Revitalization Coalition, string up several thousand Christmas lights around city hall and the Plaza to prepare the city for the annual tree lighting ceremony.
     And somehow, in the midst of a frazzled holiday crew, a 'spur of the moment' talent show conceived by Weed High School Student, Carrie Wilson, was organized and held at the Merc to benefit the Weed Skate and Bike Park, a concept which was born at the Merc by community youth and volunteers, and coordinated by the Weed Revitalization Coalition.  The show proved successful beyond everyone's expectations and was noted by the WRC as best youth event ever organized at the Merc.
     As Christmas approached, various social groups that service Weed became united, as one, to share the holiday spirit.  Members of the Weed Chamber, the WRC, the Weed Golden Seniors, and Weed Rotary became so involved, they could hardly be distinguished from their individual groups. "We all represent the Community of Weed and should work together," said Sheryl Castro, president of the Weed Chamber.  "Especially during the holiday season."
     A week before Christmas, volunteers at the Merc worked hard to organize the Adopt-a-Sock program, and held a Christmas party for the kids and their families.  Each of the 105 children that attended came face-to-face with Santa and received a stocking full of Christmas toys; the product of the work of volunteers that frequent the Merc.  The program was a joint effort by the WRC and Weed Rotary Club.  Extra stockings were made, in case of 'surprise guests', all of which found homes by night's end.  The planning for the event, like most held at the Merc was 'made from scratch', with material for the stockings purchased from donated funds, cut, and individually sewn.  Volunteers spent weeks assembling stockings and filling them with goods; making sure each child on the list was accounted for. During the party children made decorations, gift baskets, and hung ornaments on the Merc's Christmas tree.  Crafts and additional ornaments were made, and cup cakes children decorated were taken home as a memory of the night's event.
      "These kids had a wonderful time," said Joyce Oliver, President of WRC, community volunteer and one of the main coordinators of the event.  "And next year we'll do it different- to accommodate more kids."  Joyce said the event was the last one of the year, and they're ready to do it again next year.
     Overall 2004 was a great year for ideas that were originally conceived at the Merc and seen through to completion.  Highlights include the clean-up of Lincoln Park, which was organized by WRC and the citizens of Weed, that used the Merc to hold town hall meetings for brainstorming sessions for ways of improving the park.   After several successful meetings, and three community clean-ups, Lincoln Park had a fresh new look.  Shortly thereafter, plans to dedicate Lincoln Park to the late Sheriff Charlie Byrd went into action, and by September of 2004, a concept born at the Merc became a reality and Lincoln Park was officially renamed "Charles 'Charlie' Byrd Community Park," in honor of Charlie Byrd.
     Another highlight for the year, is the progress of the Weed Skate and Bike Park, originally conceived at the Merc two years ago.  It's anticipated that the new Weed Skate and Bike Park, another Merc-born WRC project will grace the list of completed projects for 2005.

*Minor editing by G. Pitsenbarger