Carolers from Good Shepherd Episcopal Church Hayesville spent the evenings of December 15 and 22 spreading Christmas cheer by singing to shut-ins in the Hayesville area. Organized by choir member Suzy Christensen, the caroling is a three-year-old tradition that makes a lot of people smile.

On the two Sunday evenings, the carolers visited two group homes, the Clay County Care Center, and the private homes of some of Good Shepherd's homebound members. The recipients were chosen because they are homebound or have experienced hard times recently. Customarily the visits are a surprise to the recipients, though Christensen makes sure ahead of time that people will be at home.

Some of the singers, such as Christensen and her husband Keith, are members of Good Shepherd's choir, but others are just enthusiastic parishioners who want to spread Christmas joy. They dressed in holiday attire and carried bells and kazoos. Christensen says that the carols most often requested are “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.”