'Tis the season to be neighborly in Gales Ferry
Ledyard — When Gales Ferry residents wanted a Christmas tree, all they needed to do was ask their fellow residents and members of the Ledyard Community Facebook Forum.
The tree at 2 Military Highway, easily visible from Route 12 in Gales Ferry, was made possible by residents and members of the Facebook forum, who donated the tree, use of a trailer, ornmentation and their time to put the tree in place and decorate it.
The residence on 2 Military Highway was purchased by Merry Cassabria, who is a REMAX Realtor with Town Council Chairwoman Linda Davis, a year and a half ago.
Together, the pair has transformed the house at 2 Military Highway into the "official headquarters of the Ledyard Facebook Forum,” Davis said — hosting events at the residence in the past, including the inaugural Christmas lights home decorating contest last year, which featured eclectic awards such as the “Chevy Chase Award” for the most heavily decorated home, and an adopt-a-family program where residents donated food.
Those events still are on for this year, but in addition Davis and Cassabria decided to turn the headquarters into a holiday spectacle — complete with inflatable Christmas figures from the movie “Frozen" out front and Christmas lights — and place where they could host events for the forum.
“Why not represent Gales Ferry as a nice place for the holidays?” Cassabria said.
All the pair needed to complete their plans was a tree, and when former Mayor John Rodolico found someone willing to donate an evergreen tree to the town, Rodolico and Davis agreed that the forum headquarters would be an ideal place for it. They just weren’t sure how they’d be able to transport it.
However, after putting the request on the forum, they secured the help of Lisa Hirschfeld and her husband, who volunteered to use their trailer to transport the 16-foot-tall tree. Chip Brouwer of Brouwer Tree Services donated a cherrypicker to help decorate, and resident Glenn Mckenzie also donated a permanent tree stand. People showed up, baked cookies and helped decorate.
“We started with what we were offered ... it really is a perfect spot in a way,” Cassabria said.
Now the forum will give back to the community, hosting an event from noon until 6 p.m. on Sunday to collect donated scarves, gloves, socks and other winter clothing for those in need during the winter season.
“Comfort and Joy,” as the event is known, also will include cider and cookies, and is aimed toward residents that don’t qualify for social services but still find themselves in need during the holiday season.
Residents at the senior center have been working for weeks to knit items for the event, and the community forum also has been donating yarn to keep the work going, Davis said.
Cassabria said she and Davis hope in the future to host pictures with Santa and other events for the forum.
“We’re also looking for another tree for next year,” she said.
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