Oswego Pastor Phillip Hays looks at memorabilia and pictures of his late wife, Lisa Hays, who died on Dec. 23, 2011, from lung cancer at age 50.

Parsons firefighters were called Tuesday afternoon to a fire on North Central on the west side of the apartment at 318 N. Central, which is north of Youth Crisis Shelter. The two-story brick apartment building was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived and began attacking the fire from the north side and tried to keep the fire from spreading to the apartment east of the brick building. Parsons police officers responded to the fire and helped residents from the east apartment building evacuate, including several infants. The residents and the infants took shelter at the police department.

Colleen Surridge/Sun photo Luke Gilmore, accompanied by music and violin teacher Dana Saliba on piano, plays “O’ Holy Night” on the violin during a holiday music recital Friday at Woodridge Estates. Gilmore also conducted other students of Saliba and accompanying musicians in performing for the first time his musical arrangements, “Pacem Noel” and “Holiday Medley.”

Colleen Surridge/Sun photo Garfield School students (from left) Alexandria Maldonado, Dakiah Yates and Wesley Griggs decorate Christmas bulbs with stars and snowflakes at one of the Santa Stations teachers organized Thursday. The stations allowed students to choose from six different activities to make gifts for their families.

Jamie Willey/Sun photo Dr. Ron Finley hands a gift bag to George at a Christmas party sponsored by the Parsons Kiwanis Club on Oak Cottage at Parsons State Hospital and Training Center. The Rev. Richard McCandless, Warren Marlow and Finley brought cake and ice cream as well as the gifts to the residents of Oak Cottage. McCandless, who organizes the event, said this is the 25th year the club has sponsored the party. The club also has monthly birthday parties at Oak Cottage when every resident with a birthday in the month gets gifts. McCandless said the club sponsors the parties to let the residents know that the community cares about them.

Bea Rizza spends time with Chance, an old ranch horse that had been abandoned on a rural Erie homestead, along with a wild mustang and her 10-month-old filly. Rizza is fostering Chance for Rainbow Meadows, Equine Rescue & Retirement Inc. until a home can be found for him to live out his remaining days.