Ohio Girl's Christmas Wish Comes True

The sound of Christmas carols dance through the air as shiny ornaments hang on the village tree in Zaleski, Ohio. A modest patch of snow clings to ground just as many in the small village try and hold onto the Christmas spirit. “There’s not a lot in Zaleski anymore,” says village councilman Craig Walkerow. “The stores have left like a lot of small towns and it’s one of the things we have that brings people together.” One of the village’s smallest residents is keeping the Christmas spirit alive. A letter to the village council put 8-year-old Haylee Lemay’s Christmas wish into action. Haylee wrote, “To the Village of Zaleski. For this Christmas I think we should change some things around.” That change would would bring a smile to everyone’s face. She explains, “Everyone should get one present. I think this is good for the town and to get an idea of what everyone wants, just ask, ‘what would you like for Christmas?'” “By the end of the council meeting we kind of put a little bit of a plan together and left it for her to do the work for it,” Walkerow says.