2008 Christmas Tree Lighting/Childrens Workshop

GREATER PITTSFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
2011 Christmas Tree Lighting and Children’s Store

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This Page Last Updated January 27, 2012

On Saturday, Dec. 3, the Greater Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce sponsored the annual Children's Store and Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration.

The day started with the P.E.S. PTO sponsored Breakfast with Santa. Many families enjoyed the delicious breakfast and visited with Santa. The much anticipated, Children’s Store was held at the P.E.S. Gym from 9 – noon. The Store is for “kids only” to purchase new or “nearly” new items.- mostly priced at .50 each. The Store is open to ALL Kids ages 16 and younger. Thanks to the tremendous help of over 65 volunteers (acting as elves, gift wrappers, or crowd control) close to 200 kids were able to shop for their families.

The festivities moved to Dustin Park later in the afternoon. MANY Thanks to everyone that helped make the event a huge success. Samantha and Stacy Locke provided horse and wagon rides, the Joyce Family provided Holiday music, the Fire Department delivered Santa via fire truck and he posed for free photos with all the kids. Bob Legg took the photos and then they were posted on the town website and could be downloaded. Thanks to Cassidy Kearns for providing the face painting. PYW sponsored the annual Gingerbread House Display and Raffle and hot soups and chili could be picked up inside too. (Thanks to all the cooks that donated food!) Free hot cocoa, cookies, popcorn and candy canes were provided (thanks to members of the Park St. Baptist Church, Women of Rotary, CHF, 4-H Club, So. Pittsfield Com. Club, the Police Department, American Legion and Lions Club).

Many thanks to the Pittsfield Youth Workshop and the Park St. Baptist Church for allowing people to come inside and warm up. PYW housed the pictures with Santa, the Gingerbread House display, face painting, hot food items and decorated wreath contest. The Park St. Baptist Church housed the cookies, cocoa and popcorn. Thanks to all the helpers in the kitchen and to those that helped pass out the treats too.

A decorated wreath contest was held and winner by popular vote was (#3) Jessica Booth. She won a Holiday Gift Basket donated by Carolyn Allhiser of Northway Bank.

The Blue Star Mothers joined the celebration, providing stars with military member’s names to be added to the Tree. Thank you to Lea Adams for organizing this wonderful tribute. The local brownie and girl scout troops (thanks Danielle) led everyone in singing many carols. Thank you to Carol Grainger and Jen Kearns who held Holiday Story Time at the Josiah Carpenter Library. This was a new event this year – look for it on the schedule again next year.

At 6pm, we counted down and the Tree was lit. (Many Thanks to the “official” tree lighting and decorating committee). Louie Houle, Bill Provencal, Ed Vien, Dave Hartley, Mark Wallace, Mark Riel, Lea and Steve Adams and Fuzz Freese string and test all the lights. The Tree and Park looked very festive – THANK YOU!

This annual event takes many, many volunteers from local groups, churches, town departments, family and friends. Thank you to ALL who helped to make it a great day.

To learn more about the Greater Pittsfield Chamber of Commerce, please visit our website at www.pittsfieldchamber.org. or to volunteer to help next year or make arrangements for any donations - call Andi Riel at 435-6346 or email pittsfieldtowncrier@hotmail.com.