The Charlestown Little League will be holding registrations for the 2008 baseball and softball programs on January 12, 19 and 26 at the Charlestown Little League Concession Stand from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. You must provide proof of residence and date of birth. A registration fee of $60 for one child, $95 for two children and $125 for three children or more will be charged. Financial assistance will be available. Anyone wishing to play baseball or softball between the ages of five and 16 years old is welcome.
    If you reside in the Henryville, New Washington or Scottsburg areas, you are eligible to play in the Charlestown Little League programs.
    The Board of Directors would like to take this opportunity to welcome anyone wishing to coach, umpire, work on the fields, help in the concession stand or do anything to help improve the Little League Program. Volunteer applications will be available at the sign-ups. If you have any questions please contact Darrell Adams Jr., President, at 256-5528 or Geneva Adams, Player Agent at 256-6666.

    A new Kiwanis Club is organizing this week in Charlestown and is seeking men and women to become a part of the global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. The club will further the Kiwanis International mission of responding to global issues while also serving the needs of the Charlestown community by performing valuable service projects.
    Kiwanis clubs provide an excellent opportunity to meet other service-minded individuals and network with business professionals while making a direct impact on the community through volunteering.
    "We understand the changing needs of today’s busy volunteers, and encourages members to give time on their own terms while contributing to notable causes and meaningful projects," said Rick Cartuyvelles, President of the Kiwanis Club of Charlestown.
    For details on joining the Kiwanis Club of Charlestown or for more information about Kiwanis International, please contact Rick Cartuyvelles at rick@daiwa-da.com or visit www.kiwanis.org.

     McDonald’s® Restaurants of Kentuckiana will award ten $1,000 scholarships as a part of their Black History Makers of Tomorrow (BHMOT) program. The program, which is in its fourth year locally, recognized high school juniors and seniors who demonstrate exceptional leadership, character, academic achievement and community service. All applications must be postmarked no later than January 12.
    Interested students should submit an application for a chance to be awarded $1,000 to help further their education. Applications are available from high school guidance counselors or online at McState.com. Click on your state and select a city for a restaurant nearest you to download a BHMOT application.
    The BHMOT program focuses on celebrating the diverse community, with a multitude of cultures blending together, the Kentuckiana area has become. This program is open to all students, regardless of race, to share thoughts on what will shape and impact multiculturalism in the community.
    Last year’s BHMOT winners include: Briona Posey- Central High School; Jeffrey O’Field- North Bullitt High School; Jacob Shay- Trimble County High School; Ashton Samuels- Male High School; Jasmine Lusk- Atherton High School; Lyndsey Newson- New Albany High School; Joslynne Bailey- Nelson County High School; Chelsea Grover- Jeffersonville High School; Phebe Poston- Shelby County High School and Nathan Roach- Charlestown High School.
    McDonald’s® Restaurants of Kentuckiana continue to honor their mission of supporting education and its importance to the community.
    For more information or to receive a BHMOT application, please call 502-589-7711.

    Last weekend many locals were preparing for the mad holiday rush and making sure the final preparations were made for the upcoming Christmas holiday.
   While many were preparing for a visit from Santa Claus four local girls basketball teams were wanting just one thing for Christmas, a holiday tournament title.
   The Charlestown Girls Holiday Tournament is the state’s longest consecutive holiday tournament with the same four teams competing. Since the tournament’s inception in 1976 the Lady Pirates of Charlestown, Lady Generals of Clarksville, Lady Pioneers of Providence and the Lady Dragons of Silver Creek have competed for the title.
   This year the girls laced up their sneakers, put on their jerseys and prepared to put a trophy under their Christmas tree.
   The Lady Pirates of Charlestown captured the 32^nd annual Holiday Tournament with the 45-36 victory over the Lady Pioneers of Providence. The title was Charlestown’s fourteenth title and third title in the last four years.
   Providence has captured three titles while Silver Creek has 10 championships and Clarksville has five Holiday Tournament titles in the history of the tournament.
Providence- 41
Silver Creek- 36
   Providence and Silver Creek battled throughout the first half with neither team taking a large advantage until late in the second quarter when the Lady Pioneers took a five-point lead, 27-22, heading into the halftime break.
   The third stanza seen the Lady Dragons outscore Providence 11-6 as Silver Creek senior Donna Ferree recorded six of Silver Creek’s 11 points. The Lady Dragons used the third quarter to tie the ballgame, heading into the final eight minutes of play the teams were knotted up at 33.
   Ferree gave the Lady Dragons a bucket for the lead at the 6:08 mark in the final quarter. Freshman Molly Voyles nailed one of two from the charity stripe to extend the lead, 36-33, for Silver Creek. The free throw would prove to be the last score for the Lady Dragons.
   Providence freshman Kallie Ash hit a jumper at the 4:12 mark before the Lady Pioneers sealed the victory at the charity stripe. Providence went 6-for-11 in the final minutes of the ballgame to capture the 41-36 victory and right to advance to the championship game.
Charlestown- 47
Clarksville- 39
   Clarksville senior Danielle Evans hit a lay-up at the 7:02 mark to open the scoring in the nightcap of the opening round of play. Charlestown senior Katie Jackson put the Lady Pirates on the scoreboard with a pair from the free throw line. Teammate Alicia Zollman nailed a triple at the 4:20 mark to push Charlestown’s lead 5-2.
   Lady General senior Jessica Johnson nailed a jumper at the 3:15 mark to cut the Lady Pirates lead to one.
   Jackson nailed a jumper at the 3:00 mark followed by a Cara Rhoten jumper for Charlestown at the 2:08 mark to push the Charlestown lead back to five, 9-4.
    Charlestown’s Brittany Bennison nailed a trey at the 1:40 mark to give the Lady Pirates the eight point advantage.
   The Lady Generals would rally to cut the lead to three points with a Jessica Bisinger and a Leah Page jumper.
   The Lady Pirates would score one more time in the quarter on a buzzer-beating trey from Jackson.
   Charlestown would take the lead developed in the early minutes of the ballgame and build upon it to capture the victory and right to play for the championship trophy.
   The excitement was in the air on the championship night of the tournament as the Lady Pirates were looking to capture their 14^th title as Providence was looking to take home their fourth Holiday Tournament title.
Silver Creek- 35
Clarksville- 32
   The consolation game pitted the Lady Dragons of Silver Creek and the Lady Generals of Clarksville.
   The first quarter seen the two teams battle with a small lead taken by Silver Creek, 9-6, heading into the second stanza.
   Lady General senior Jessica Johnson would tie the ballgame at nine with a trey to open the quarter. Clarksville would push the early lead to three, 14-11, midway through the second stanza before Silver Creek senior Tiffany Haddon nailed a triple of her own to know the game at 14.
   Silver Creek junior Erin Richmer nailed one from the charity stripe to give the Lady Dragons the 15-14 lead heading into the halftime break.
   The Lady Dragons opened the third quarter with a 10-2 run sparked by senior Becky Kelly’s jumper at the 7:11 mark.
   Clarksville’s Danielle Evans nailed two from the charity stripe before teammate Candace James hit a trey to cut the lead to 25-21 at the 1:39 mark.
   Both teams would trade baskets the remainder of the quarter as the Lady Dragons headed into the final stanza with the 29-27 advantage.
   Clarksville would then take the 30-29 lead after a free throw from James and a bucket from Bisinger.
   The lead would be taken back by the Lady Dragons as Richmer nailed a pair from the charity stripe. Clarksville would regain the lead on a jumper from Bisinger at the 1:54 mark.
   Richmer would give the Lady Dragons the lead for good on a jumper at the 1:08 mark as Silver Creek would hang on for the 35-32 victory.
Charlestown- 45
Providence- 36
   The Lady Pioneers’ Kallie Ash nailed an early jumper to put Providence on the scoreboard first in hopes of capturing their first Holiday Tournament title since 2000.
   Charlestown sophomore Alicia Zollman would answer with a jumper of her own at the 6:58 mark.
   Both teams traded baskets the remainder of the first quarter. The Lady Pioneers held the 7-6 advantage after eight minutes of play.
   Lady Pirate sophomore Laci Williams nailed a jumper at the 7:13 mark to give Charlestown the early 8-7 lead. Zollman nailed two from the charity stripe at the 5:50 mark to push the Lady Pirates lead to four, 11-7.
   Providence would answer on a pair of free throws from Amber Rogers and Kady Bandy. Senior Natalie McDonough would knot the game at 13 at the 4:37 mark.
   Charlestown’s Zollman nailed two from the charity stripe at the 3:30 mark to give the Lady Pirates the 15-13 advantage.
   Charlestown would push the lead and then would never relinquish it as they held the 19-16 halftime lead.
   The Lady Pirates outscored Providence 11-4 in the third stanza including a triple from Zollman at the 7:44 mark. The Lady Pirates would have five find the scorebook in the quarter as Cara Rhoten, Williams, Amanda Miller and Katie Jackson all recorded buckets in the third period.
   The final eight minutes of play began with a 10-4 run by Providence with Kallie Ash tallying six points in the run.
   Providence would pull within four, 34-30, with three minutes remaining in the ballgame.
   Charlestown would nail 8-of-12 from the charity stripe to seal the 45-36 victory and their 14^th Holiday Tournament title.
   "I’m so proud of our girls. This is the seventh year in a row our girls have got to cut down the net in some part of the season. We told the girls this is a great way to start Christmas. The fudge will taste better and the egg nog will taste sweeter," stated head coach Tony Hall after the December 22 win.
   He continued, "We’ve been in every game this year except one. Maybe this will snowball and we will have a pretty good second half of the season."
   Charlestown senior Katie Jackson was named the 2007 Butch Troutman MVP of the Holiday Tournament.
   "If you stay in our program you become a young woman. Four years ago Katie Jackson was a kid, now she is a young woman," Hall stated about his senior.
   Joining Jackson on the All-Tournament Team were: Charlestown’s Amanda Miller and Alicia Zollman; Providence’s Megan Eve and Whitney Thomas; Silver Creek’s Donna Ferree and Erin Richmer and Clarksville’s Jessica Johnson.