Full Text:

Tree Lighting Starts Newtown's Christmas Season

(with cuts)

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Marie Dupree stuck around just long enough to light the tree.

The Chamber of Commerce president works for well-known primate researcher Jane

Goodall, and was recently informed that she was being transferred from her

office in Ridgefield to a new office in Washington, D.C. She was supposed to

leave early last week, a day or two before Friday's annual Christmas Tree

Lighting ceremony put on by the Chamber of Commerce. A big crowd was expected

to turn out at the Ram Pasture for the event. Everyone in the Chamber wanted

their popular chairman to hit the switch to light the tree.

No problem. Jane Goodall herself got wind of the situation and called Marie to

insist that she stick around a few extra days for the big show.

Sure enough, Marie was on hand for the tree-lighting and all went as planned.

She left for Washington on Saturday, promising to return to her beloved

Newtown.

Despite the mild drizzle and light snowfall, a large crowd showed up and was

treated to an entertaining 60 minutes. Unlike last year, there was not enough

snow for snowmen and snow balls, but there was still plenty of entertainment.

There was the music of the Newtown High School brass band, and the singing of

the NHS chorus, including a fabulous rendition of "Silent Night" by Craig

Schoenbaum.

"There were probably 60 kids there singing. It was wonderful," said Janet

Woycik, a tree lighting committee and Chamber of Commerce member.

Of course, there was also a visit from Santa and Mrs Claus, who closely

resembled Newtown's own Earl J. Smith and Marie Walker.

Union Savings Bank and People's Bank served up coffee, cider and donuts.

Newtown Hook & Ladder and the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps were also on

hand, as was Bunny Cash, who bused people to the Ram Pasture from the

Dickinson Park parking lot and back.

Once again, the center of Newtown was emblazoned with luminaria along Main

Street, Elm Drive and Glover Avenue. Perhaps due to the weather, several of

the luminaria caught on fire, prompting at least one passer-by to call the

fire department on his cell phone.

Committee members admitted feeling a bit anxious when the time finally came to

light the tree. Electrician Stan Perrone usually checks the lights a couple

hours before the big show, but he was held up this year and never made it. But

both the large tree and the little Christmas-tree-in-training beside it lit up

when Marie Dupree hit the switch and Newtown's Christmas 1997 was officially

underway.