WOOD-RIDGE, NJ - Bergen County's Winter Wonderland at Van Saun Park was another tradition that was canceled due to the ongoing health pandemic. But one Wood-Ridge resident, along with the help of the Mayor and Council and school children, continued that annual event by bringing the festivity home to the borough.
Wood-Ridge normally participates in the annual Winter Wonderland at Van Saun, where residents from each municipality in the county gather to decorate a tree to represent their town. But resident Kris Amels wasn't about to let that annual tradition stop. She wanted to bring the seasonal celebration home by decorating one of the Christmas trees in the borough.
As a member of the Keep Wood-Ridge Beautiful, she reached out to Councilman Ezio Altamura, who worked with Councilman Phil Romero to identify just the right tree to decorate. It was decided to decorate the Christmas trees in the small grove at 14th Street Park, on the corner of Union Avenue.
Amels worked with Anthony Albro, Principal at Catherine E. Doyle School, and Keith Lisa, Principal at Wood-Ridge Intermediate School, who distributed ornament kits to the children. She encouraged the children to create "self-portrait ornaments" so they could "all be together safely." The blank wooden ornaments were double-sided. She suggested children create a self-portrait on one side and something they love about living in Wood-Ridge on the other.
"I'm really happy with the response from the kids!" said Amels, who received 60 finished ornaments, which she strung together. Some of the things that children liked included cheerleading, Cub Scouts, and the Wood-Ridge Memorial Library. There was even a shout out to the Doyle School teachers.
Saturday morning Amels, along with members of the Mayor and Council, including Catherine Cassidy, Dominick Azzolini, Edward Marino, Romero, and Altamura gathered at 14th Street Park. They dressed two trees in strings of lights attached to a rechargeable solar battery, added shiny Wood-Ridge blue ornaments and a tree topper, and finished with the children's handmade ornaments, which were strung together with festive red and white twine.
"Kris Amels once again did a great job in bringing the children and families of our great community together with her ornament decorating theme," said Altamura. "Since the County of Bergen did not continue the annual tree decorating at Vaun Park this year, Kris, Councilman Marino, Councilman Romero and I who have been involved with this program the past three years worked with Kris to bring it home to Wood-Ridge."
“Let's all be thankful for what we have and for living in a great community with great families who always support one another. Thank you, Kris,” commented Altamura.
Children can still hang their ornaments on the borough's trees on 14th Street. The display will be up through early January.
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December 21, 2020 at 02:45PM
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Wood-Ridge Brings Winter Wonderland Tree to the Borough - TAPinto.net
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