IRVINGTON, NJ — When Mayor Tony Vauss joined forces with the rest of his administration to officially kick off the holiday season on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the annual Tree-Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Gift Giveaway in D. Bilal Beasley Square, several good little boys and girls came out to the event to tell Santa Claus what they wanted for Christmas and were then rewarded with gifts
“I think it was really good and fun, especially for the little kids because, for some of them, it’s their first time coming here and they really enjoyed it,” said Rosa Rojas, 17, who attends Newark East Side High School at the event. She came with her sister, Jazmine Rojas, 15, as well as Ximena Reyes, 5, Kristel Reyes, 4, and Karina Reyes, 9, who attends Ivy Hill School. “We didn’t mind standing out here in the cold for the tree-lighting and standing in line to get toys. It was worth it. We like seeing this.”
Jalee Lovaincy, 10, who attends Grove Street School came out to the event with Charlinda Charles, 8, who attends Chancellor Avenue School, and Smileen Lovaincy, 4, whose birthday is on Christmas Eve. Jalee said he was glad they came to the annual Tree-Lighting Ceremony and Gift Giveaway.
“It was awesome,” said Jalee, who said he wants to be a police officer when he grows up. “We were almost about to leave, because we had to stand in a big line. We were like in the back of the line, so my mom said we had to stay and, when they announced that the lines had to be split between boys on one side and girls on the other side, we ran over and cut ahead to the front.”
Jalee and Smileen’s mother, Alinaise Branchedort, said she was glad she brought them out for the annual township event, despite the cold weather.
“I’m so happy,” Branchedort said at the event. “This is my first time. They told me to come. That’s why I came. It was too cold outside, but I try to manage for the kids. You’re the mom, so when the kid needs something, you have to get time for the kids, so that’s why I came out, for the kids.”
Charlinda said she appreciated her mother braving the cold to bring them to the event.
“I’m glad to have my mom, because she’s amazing,” said Charlinda, on Thursday, Dec. 6, who wants to be a doctor when she grows up. “I want to wish everybody Merry Christmas and I hope you have a special weekend.”
The mayor and others in attendance said they were happy everyone who came out had a good time and left with a gift.
“We gave all of our kids gifts and everything,” said Recreation and Cultural Affairs Director Donald Malloy, on Thursday, Dec. 6. “We also did events at the Public Library this year, too. The township of Irvington, the Irvington Public Library, Recreation, all one event. Picture taking at the library was from 3 to 5 p.m. Immediately after, at 5 p.m., we did the Tree-Lighting.”
“We gave out over 500 gifts,” said Irvington police Sgt. Sheyla Marquez-Cepeda on Thursday, Dec. 6. Vauss said she has now been officially designated as the township’s “Kiddie Cop,” assigned to handle any issues related to children in town, the way Detective Marcus Smith has been assigned to deal with issues regarding Irvington’s senior citizens.
Vauss said Marquez-Cepeda has been instrumental in helping organize all the community events involving Irvington’s Police and Fire departments, so it’s fitting for her to be Irvington’s official “Kiddie Cop.”
“This is the season for giving, so we want to make sure all our kids are happy and that’s why we have this program, to make sure our kids are happy,” said Vauss on Thursday, Dec. 6. “We have a great Tree-Lighting Ceremony. The lights look wonderful, we had the fire truck come out here and the kids are running around, doing cartwheels off stuff. This is why we do what we do.”
Children praise township’s Tree-Lighting and Gift Giveaway added by Chris Sykes on
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