It’s hard to believe it is time to say farewell to 2015 and welcome 2016.

As I reflect personally on 2015, memorable for our family will be the graduation of my grandson from Middletown High School in Maryland and the celebrations of my granddaughter’s 21st birthday and my husband’s milestone birthday.

On the local level, 2015 will be memorable for the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Emmaus Public Library and the GFWC PA Woman’s Club of Emmaus, the Mosaic Mural dedicated at the library, a special venue at the Remembrance Gardens to honor community heroes and the opening of a new historical society museum, 218 Main St.

I read on the borough’s website Emmaus had earned another honor in 2015: Only in Your State ranked the borough of Emmaus as the seventh best place in Pennsylvania to live and the fifth ranked “most heart-warmingly beautiful small town in Pennsylvania.”

Also, in case you’ve forgotten there were record-breaking cold spells in January and February and, then almost record-breaking heat in July and it looks as though we’ve reached a record for warm temperatures in December.

When I reflect on the passing year, I am always impressed by the number of events held in Emmaus. These events would not be possible without the generous contributions of volunteers.

To all the volunteers and civic organizations, I say thank you for your efforts toward making Emmaus a great place to call home.

Beginning in January, 2016, the Emmaus Farmers Market located in the KNBT parking lot, 235 Main St., will hold its Winter Market 10 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Sundays. Winter Market begins Jan. 10, 2016. For information, visit emmausmarket.com.

Emmaus Borough Council meets 7 p.m. Jan. 4 and 18, 2016 in council chambers, 28 S. Fourth St. Borough offices are closed Jan. 1, 2016 for the holiday.

Christmas tree collection begins Dec. 28 and continues through Jan. 15, 2016. Trees should be placed by the curb without a bag. After Jan. 15, 2016, residents should take their trees to the compost site for disposal. The compost site will be open 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 18 to 23, 2016 for tree disposal. For information, visit www.borough.emmaus.pa.us or call 610-965-9292.

The Emmaus Public Library, 11 E. Main St., is a fun place to visit during the cold weather.

The winter session includes story times, block parties, book clubs and Books and Barks.

Some of the January, 2016 program highlights include a celebration of Martin Luther King Day, 2 p.m. Jan 18, 2016, with creative play and a service project. Also 4 p.m. Jan. 14, 2016, all ages are invited to join the Emmaus Ice Hockey Club and hear about local ice hockey.

The library will hold a film discussion series January through March, 2016 presented by local filmmaker Stephanie Gardner. The series will explore the artistic choices the filmmakers make and how each film speaks to a larger social issue of the time. The first meeting is 7 p.m. Jan. 28, 2016.

The library is also offering an adult coloring club 7 p.m. Mondays.

The library will close 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and reopen Jan. 2, 2016. For more information, visit www.emmausspl.org or call 610-965-9284.

All senior citizens over the age of 55 are invited to the Emmaus Senior Citizens meetings at St. Matthew’s E.C. Church, Ridge and Fifth streets. The group meets 1 p.m. Fridays. There is no meeting Jan. 1, 2016. The January, 2016 programs are Jan. 8, 2016: Ken Purcell, musician; Jan. 15, 2016: David Loehr, musician; Jan. 22, 2016: Keith Sell, musician and Jan. 29, 2016 is game day. For information, call 610-966-4273.

The GFWC PA Woman’s Club of Emmaus’ noon Jan. 25, 2016 meeting will be a dessert meeting with a performance by the Lincoln Elementary School fifth grade chorus at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 501 Chestnut St. In honor of the club’s 75th anniversary, the club recently donated years of historical records and other memorabilia to the Emmaus Historical Society. For information, email EWC PA@aol.com.

Regular hours for the Emmaus Historical Society museum, 218 Main St., are noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays. The museum is also open by appointment. For information, visit www.emmaushistoric-pa.org or email emmaushist@ptd.net.

Congratulations to Dennis C. Corcoran, Dan Williams and Tanya G. Digiulio, the winners in the Dec. 5 Emmaus Arts Commission’s photo contest.

Mark your calendar 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 6, 2016 to celebrate the Emmaus Arts Commission’s SnowBlast Festival.

The deadline for including upcoming February events in the Emmaus column is Jan. 20, 2016. Please send to durdock@aol.com or 913 Little Lehigh Dr.

As we welcome in another year, my thanks to all our faithful readers for their support in 2015.