CommUNITY TREE LIGHTING EVENT BRINGS COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN HOLIDAY SPIRIT TO THE AVE IN DOWNTOWN VINELAND
Individuals and Groups Can Add Ornaments to CommUNITY Tree Through January 4
Public Can Vote on Downtown Christmas Trees by December 21
VINELAND, NJ—In an atmosphere of unity, camaraderie, and pride, approximately 100 members of the community came together for Main Street Vineland’s third annual CommUNITY Tree Lighting Event, on Monday, December 10, at the southwest mini-park in downtown Vineland.
People from various clubs and civic organizations, as well as from a variety of demographic group and faiths brought ornaments to hang on the CommUNITY Tree. Choirs from the Dane Barse Elementary School, Pauline J. Petway Elementary School led those attending in Christmas songs and the drum line of the Greater Deliverance Church performed. The tree was then lit to show to all the spirit of unity and inclusiveness. Free hot chocolate was provided courtesy of Larry’s II Restaurant.
“This is an event that has been taking place around the country and—as CommUNITY implies—it is meant to be a project of unity that will bring people of beliefs, faiths, and creeds together during this time of togetherness,” said Main Street Vineland Associate Director and Business Development Director Robert Scarpa, who organized the event.
This tradition, he said, started when the first Community Christmas tree was raised in New York’s Madison Square Park. Since then, the idea has been adopted by cities and towns across the country.
“In this time of polarization and divisiveness, this event brought together people of beliefs, faiths, and creeds during this time of togetherness,” Main Street Vineland Executive Director Russell Swanson said.
The tree will be up through January 4 for those individuals or groups to add ornaments, but could not be present for the tree-lighting event.
In addition, Christmas trees have been decorated and placed in windows of selected storefronts on The Ave by Vineland Public School students.
The public will be able to vote online for the best Christmas tree by going to Main Street Vineland’s Facebook page. The deadline for all voting is 12 noon on Friday, December 21.
Swanson looks at events such as this as the kind that make communities such as Vineland a family.
“We are from different cultures, ethnicities, faiths, political beliefs, and backgrounds,” he said. In the end, however, we are a community and events such as this emphasize that during this special time of year. My thanks go out to all who came out to show that we all are proud Vinelanders.”
For more information on this and all Main Street Vineland events, call the Main Street Vineland office at 856-794-8653, visit the organization’s website at www.TheAve.biz, or visit the organization on its Facebook page.
