Published December 13. 2021 10:50AM
BY DEBRA PALMIERI
dpalmieri@tnonline.com
The line of vehicles entering Ontelaunee Park Dec. 5 extended beyond where the eye could see. The draw was the first-ever tree lighting ceremony held in the Northwestern Lehigh community.
There was something for everyone, including lighted flying toys for kids, which they quickly threw into the air, and hot chocolate and hot dogs, some 970, prepared by volunteers from the Lynnport Fire Company.
Members of the Lynn Heidelberg Historical Society led tours of the train station while everyone, including a wide variety of well-behaved canines, awaited the tree lighting and the arrival of Santa atop a New Tripoli Fire Company truck.
Pastor Wally Frisch from Ebenezer United Church of Christ, New Tripoli, gave the opening prayer and Kylie Adams-Weiss of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber thanked all the event sponsors for their support.
The Northwestern Lehigh High School a cappella group performed and youngsters from Northwestern and Weisenberg elementary schools provide holiday music.
The “piece de resistance,” of the evening, the tree lighting took place at 6:30 p.m. following Santa’s arrival.
To help the less fortunate in the community, nonperishable items were collected for the Lowhill Food Pantry.
The evening’s celebration was presented by the Greater Northern Lehigh Chamber, Lynn and Heidelberg townships, and the Honey Done List Company.
PRESS PHOTOS BY DEBRA PALMIERI Nora Lawton of Schnecksville accepts a Northwestern Press and a Christmas ornament from Marketing Manager Christine Campbell, who represented the Lehigh Valley Press eight weekly newspapers, at the tree lighting ceremony.
Cow-abunga!! Jeff Billig of Northwest Territory Real Estate Services, New Tripoli, manned the booth where the collection box for Toys for Tots was located.
Teachers Mara Ruzicka-Butz and Christy Bishop from Circle of Seasons School brought along healthy seeds for Santa's reindeer to the tree-lighting ceremony.
The a cappella group from Northwestern Lehigh High School performs “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” in front of the soon-to-be lighted Christmas tree at Ontelaunee Park.
Zachary Fidler and Sydney Utt, volunteer firefighters with the Lynnport Fire Company, helped serve free hot dogs in the pavilion at Ontelaunee Park.
Andrew Sawyer of Kempton, a volunteer firefighter from the Lynnport Fire Company, directed traffic so Santa could arrive safely.
Elsa, Anna and Olaf, from A Storybook Party, visited with the excited children attending the Northwestern Lehigh tree lighting.
Sammi Kelly joins her husband, Bill Miller, owner of The Honey Done list Co., a sponsor of the tree-lighting celebration.
Henry Way, 4, wears the New Tripoli Fire Co. hat given to him by Bill McQuilken, president of the fire company.
Heather Utt, of the Lynnport Fire Company, serves free hot dogs to those awaiting the tree lighting. Old Homestead Golf Club sponsored the 970 hot dogs handed out that night.
Bill McQuilken, president of the New Tripoli Fire Company, manned the fire company booth. He handed out hats to kids and solicited volunteers from the community.
PRESS PHOTO COURTESY ANDREW SAWYER And ... the piece de resistance ... The lighted tree.
