Councilwoman Jacqueline Johnson addresses the crowd.
EAST ORANGE, NJ — A cup of hot chocolate warmed spirits outside East Orange Town Hall as the holiday season was kicked off in style on Thursday, Dec. 5.
“We are always excited to kick off the holiday season with our annual tree-lighting and toy giveaway and I want to especially acknowledge our Department of Public Works for making City Hall Plaza sparkle with the excitement of the holiday,” East Orange Mayor Ted Green said in a quote sent to the Record-Transcript on Friday, Dec. 6. “This is the time to spread joy, keep the spirit of giving alive in our city and celebrate the true meaning of the season. I am very proud that we can continue to share this tradition and the magic of the holidays together as one city, one community, with one goal and that goal equals progress.”
Uplifting the crowd was the Cicely L. Tyson Middle School choir, led by music instructor Chance Gould, accompanied by pianist Philip Field. Second Ward Councilman Christopher Awe said he felt great pride hearing the choir sing.
“During the performance, there was a song the choir sang that took me by surprise,” Awe said to the Record-Transcript in a phone interview on Friday, Dec. 6. “Being a first-generation Nigerian, I felt great pride hearing the kids sing in my native tongue. It’s a traditional Nigerian Yoruba Christmas carol called ‘Betelehemu.’ I was touched. We focus on the holiday and gift-giving. It’s about family. Yesterday was an example of family coming together.”
Residents stood in line and enjoyed everything from the holiday music to the tasty Christmas treats. Awe said the event was a group effort.
“We all had a hand in last night’s event,” he said. “My council colleagues and I, we handed out hot cocoa and cookies to the residents, putting them in the holiday spirit.”
In addition, Awe, along with Green and council members Casim Gomez, Jackie Johnson, Alicia Holman, Tameika Garrett-Ward and Amy Lewis, and incoming council members Vernon Pullins Jr. and Brittany Claybrooks, assisted in everything from serving as master of ceremonies to handing out toys to the children.
Santa Claus arrived on a decorative fire truck this year to find the smiling faces of East Orange ready to receive their gifts. There were a lot of toys ready to be given away this year at the event.
“We brought in thousands of toys,” Awe said. “They were donated from different sources.”
Several local businesses supported the event with donations to the Department of Recreation, including American Wear, Cotton Funeral Home, Millennium Strategies and East Orange General Hospital.
East Orange General Hospital CEO Paige Dworak and COO Guy Voelbel oversaw the hospital’s contribution to the event, purchasing toys to bring to the Department of Recreation. Also among the volunteers were three East Orange Campus High ROTC members, Cadet 2nd Lt. Woodson Marsielle, Cadet 2nd Lt. Jeremiah Pou and Cadet Airman Mehki Williams, as well as fraternity members from the Omega Psi Phi organization, which counts the mayor as a member.
Recreation and Cultural Affairs Director Renee Muhammad, who coordinated the event, said the teamwork exhibited among participants made it a success.
“I humbly take this time to applaud all of your efforts to ensure the success of the mayor’s annual tree-lighting and toy giveaway event last evening,” Muhammed said in a quote sent to the Record-Transcript on Friday, Dec. 6. “The awesome teamwork was exemplary of the mayor’s vision of all of us living his motto of ‘One City, One Community, One Goal.’”
Participating alongside Awe during the event was Claybrooks, who helped pass out holiday treats to the residents and toys to the children. Claybrooks said it was a good deed for the community.
“I think that the event went well,” Claybrooks said to the Record-Transcript in a phone interview on Friday, Dec. 6. “We do it every year. The community continues to show up; it’s a place where we enjoy family fun, music and perform a good deed for the community, to come together and rise above whatever it is that goes on in our daily lives.”
“Doing something positive in East Orange this holiday season is usually one of the many examples of us giving back,” she continued. “The mayor and his administration do a good job of that and … making everyone feel included in the holiday season is so important.”
Photos Courtesy of Connie Jackson.
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