As we anxiously await the holiday season and the magical lights that transform Lexington Center each year, dozens of volunteers and many more citizens and organizations are hard at work to make it possible. The lighting of Lexington Center is a private/public partnership and no town funds are used. The entire project is funded by donations from citizens and Lexington businesses.
In past years the Lexington Chamber of Commerce has partnered with a dedicated group of volunteers and the Lexington Department of Public Works to make this possible. Starting this year, as the Lexington Chamber of Commerce undergoes a reorganization, the Lexington Retailers Association has stepped up to lend their support.
Lighting Committee chairperson Beverly Kelley says, “The Lexington Retailers Association deserves a lot of credit for coming forward to take on the role of the Chamber of Commerce this year.” In her role, Kelley is responsible for fundraising and for coordinating the massive project. The total cost is around $13K which is completely supported by generous contributions. Several years ago, the committee switched over to energy efficient LED bulbs making the project both more affordable and environmentally friendly.
To support the fundraising goals of the committee a special Holiday Lighting Button will be available for $5. The buttons were purchased for this purpose by Cambridge Trust Bank and Stacey Sheehan, the manager of the Lexington branch is organizing the sale of the buttons. “We are delighted to support this effort,” Sheehan says. “All proceeds from the button sales will go directly to the Holiday Lighting Program.”
You may purchase your Holiday Lighting button at Cambridge Trust, Crafty Yankee, Michelson’s Shoes and Brookline Bank.
It takes more than lights to make the center merry! Don’t forget the charming whisky barrels that line the avenue planted with a mini evergreen by Mike Keegan of Keegan’s Landscaping and Keith Hoffman of Eastern Brothers Landscaping each year. Once they are firmly in place Lisa Gravallese of Patriot Community Bank and her team of Lexington High School volunteers follow up by decorating each tree in seasonal finery. The students receive community service hours for their participation.
Turn your attention to Emery Park where the lampposts are wrapped in greens and topped with a bow. Thanks go to Peter Kelley and Brian Kelley of Woodhaven Realty for their work decorating this part of the center. But they don’t stop there. Peter and Brian head over to Wilson Farm where Jim Wilson loads them up with over 400 feet of real evergreen garland that they use to decorate the block running between Wales Copy and Valentines. Wilson also donates the wreaths that hang up and down the avenue.
On Holiday Tree Lighting Night at Emery Park, hundreds of children will wait for Santa to throw the switch and officially light up Lexington Center. Part of the ceremony will include the lighting of the tree with multicolored lights at the edge of the park. That tree is one of three large evergreens donated by Laura Hopkins of Seasons Four. The tree is picked up and delivered by Marquis Tree Service and is erected and decorated by Bob Barnard of R.L. Barnard Landscape in Lexington. Seasons Four also donates the tree that is erected and decorated at Hastings Park by Lexington Boy Scouts and the tree that stands beside the Police Booth in the middle of Lexington. John Carroll of J.P. Carroll decorates both the tree and the booth there as well as the booth at the entrance of the center parking lot.
Finally, we have to acknowledge Matt Foti of Foti Tree Service for the glorious tree that always sparkles in front of Cary Hall. Matt used to work on the trees in the Public Gardens in Boston so he really knows how to wrap those branches and make it glow! We look forward to it every year!
When everything is ready, set, go—master electrician Scott Caron of Caron Electric makes sure everything is safe before he makes the connection.
The Lexington Tree Lighting is truly a community effort and a great example of a successful public/private partnership! Without the efforts of all these people our center would be dark throughout the long winter months. Please help to keep it going by purchasing a special Lighting Up the Center Together button for just $5! You can also head over to Lexx and have dinner and they will donate $2 toward the lighting campaign and enter you into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate (visit Lexx for complete information)! Don Rosenberg and Chris Bateman hope to see you this holiday season.
Beverly Kelley says it’s the enormous cooperation between organizations, volunteers and businesses that makes lighting come together each year. “That’s why it works so well each year!”
