Old Man Winter cooperated with Butler's first Ring in the Arts New Year's Eve celebration; he dispensed his snow, strong winds and slippery roads on other areas of the country.

Hopefully he will cooperate again this year as this community seeks to build upon last year's success. Butler hopes to make Ring in the Arts an even more widely known event, drawing people from all areas of the county and places beyond.

The best advice now is for people to mark their calendars so nothing will conflict with their attendance at the Dec. 31 celebration. Then, they should join the others who will be hoping that extremely cold temperatures, snow and gusty winds don't limit the attendance at, and success of, all that is being planned.

Considering the snow and unpleasant temperatures this county has endured since about Thanksgiving, a thaw would seem to be in order by New Year's Eve.

"We're very excited," said Butler's mayor-elect, Maggie Stock, who is chairing the event. "There's so much community support for this."

That's proven by the fact that there will be more venues, performers and sponsors than at last year's inaugural event. The fact that the planners now have a track record of success is an incentive for additional people to want to get involved — and for more people to want to attend.

The schedule of events making up the celebration also provides families with the opportunity to introduce their children to — or reacquaint them with — the excitement surrounding New Year's Eve and the moment when the old year gives way to the new. Leading up to that moment, children will have the opportunity to watch cartoons at the Penn Theater, enjoy face painting at the Butler Arts Council and make party hats at the AABC Art Center.

When midnight arrives, church bells will ring, followed by the start of fireworks at 12:05 a.m.

The attractiveness of Ring in the Arts, which will begin at 6 p.m., will be the low cost of participation. Purchase of a $10 button will entitle the buyer to admission to approximately 15 venues in and around the downtown, as well as discounts at most of the participating restaurants. For the $25 family price, two adults and two children will be admitted to the various activities.

The old complaint that there isn't very much to do downtown will be invalid for the Ring in the Arts celebration. And, in a repeat of last year, there will be a New Year's resolution station at Morgan Center, where celebration attendees will be able to make resolutions for 2006 and see resolutions that were made for this year.

Stock deserves praise for her willingness to chair the 14-member New Founders committee amid a schedule of campaigning for the city's mayoral seat. The Ring in the Arts planning was no small task; Stock said the committee worked all year to ensure that the event will be one for which the city can feel proud.

Meanwhile, people interested in learning more about what is planned can obtain that information, as well as a map of the venues, by accessing the Butler Arts Council's Web site at www.butlerarts.org. That information will help people make the most of the evening in connection with their own particular interests.

"My resolution last year was to make sure we did this again," Stock said.

To her credit, she didn't break that resolution.

A successful event this year will plant an additional seed for beyond 2006. Cooperation by the weatherman and Old Man Winter — along with continued interest by this year's planners — would seem to ensure that.

But the most important component amid all of what is planned is strong interest and attendance, regardless of the weather. Thus, the people of Butler and its environs hold the biggest key to another successful celebration.