A wonderful night for a downtown tree lighting
Wednesday, December 11, 2019 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
TREE, from Page 1
shortly, and you’ll have a chance
to meet with him right after he
lights the tree in the lobby of Wells
Fargo,” Gribbin said.
Wells Fargo bank was one of
many sponsors for the evening,
which also included AtlantiCare,
Kingsview Partners, South Jersey
Gas, the Law Office of Timothy J.
Buckley, Animal Clinic of Ham-
monton, One Trick Pony, David
Charles, Ltd., Fitness Mogul, Lib-
erty Dialysis Hammonton and
Hammonton Center.
Councilwoman Brooke Sacco,
who was also on-hand to officially
greet Santa Claus on his arrival,
asked that the audience take note
of the event’s sponsors.
“These businesses, and all the
businesses in Hammonton, they’re
here for us throughout the year.
They support our charitable
events, our sports organizations,
and it’s our turn to make sure that
we give them the best holiday sea-
son yet. So shop small, shop local
this season,” Sacco said.
Audience members were treated
to a number of performances
throughout the evening.
The first was by the Hammon-
ton High School Select Choir,
under the direction of Marissa
Carafiello. This is an audition-only
group consisting of students in the
10th through 12th grade. The Se-
lect Choir performed two songs,
“Underneath the Tree” and “Joy to
the World.”
Following the Select Choir was
a solo vocal performance by Grace
Haley. Haley, a 2019 graduate of
Hammonton High School, per-
formed “When Christmas Comes
to Town” from The Polar Express
and “Grown-Up Christmas List.”
Next were dancers from Paul
Morris Dance Explosion, which
Gribbin noted was, “celebrating 18
years as Hammonton’s downtown
dance studio.” The dancers per-
formed a production number from
their upcoming show, “The Nut-
cracker: All Jazzed Up.”
The Warren E. Sooy Elementary
School Fifth Grade Chorus, under
the direction of Harriet D’Alonzo,
was next. They performed two
numbers: “Minka,” based on a
Russian folk song, and “Rockin’
Around the Christmas Tree.”
Now carrying
Blush by
Hayley Paige and
Maggie Sottero
We carry gorgeous dresses by:
One Sindoni Lane, Suite C, Hammonton
(609) 270-7886 • www.meadowsbridalshop.com
Hayley Paige, Maggie Sottero
Casablanca, Mori Lee,
and so much more!
Following the chorus was a rou-
tine to “Jingle Bells” by the Dance
Magic Dance Company, under the
direction of Dawn Baldwin, which
Gribbin pointed out has been a sta-
ple in Hammonton for decades.
“Dance Magic is excited to be
celebrating 36 years of dance in
Hammonton ... Just recently, the
girls once again performed at the
Hammonton Cancer Foundation
annual Dinner for our Friends
event, where they presented the
foundation with a donation for
$1,500, raised during this past
year,” Gribbin said.
During the ceremony, Gribbin
took time to draw attention to the
Hammonton Middle School band,
under the direction of Courtney
Daniels, comprised of seventh and
eighth graders, which had set up
along Bellevue Avenue.
“These talented students have
been a part of the band program in
the Hammonton, Waterford and
Atco school districts. The band
will be playing traditional holiday
selections that will hopefully put
you in the holiday spirit,” Gribbin
said.
Following the performance by
Dance Magic came another staple
of the annual tree lighting cere-
mony: a reading of “A Visit from
St. Nicholas,” also known as
“’Twas the Night Before Christ-
mas,” by Clement Clarke Moore,
as performed by Richard Curcio.
“A native Hammontonian who
has been creating memorable char-
acters on the South Jersey stages
for more than 30 years. Rich has
performed with Cape May Stage,
Cumberland Players, Haddonfield
Plays and Players, the Levoy The-
atre and the Eagle Theatre, among
others,” Gribbin said.
Curcio, bedecked in a nightshirt
and cap, welcomed the crowd be-
fore his performance, and ex-
plained what might seem like
unusual nomenclature to the
younger members in attendance.
“I know everyone is very anx-
ious to see Santa Claus, and he
will be here in just a few minutes.
Before he comes, I would like to
tell a little story to welcome him.
Now, you probably know that an-
other name for Santa Claus is St.
Nicholas, and that’s what he’s
called in this story,” Curcio said.
There was still time after Cur-
cio’s performance before Santa
Claus’s arrival, so Gribbin took a
moment to thank the behind-the-
scenes crew who made the event
possible, including Kevin Rodio
and crew from Spellcaster Produc-
tions, and Dwight Baldwin.
“We would just like to take a
minute to thank all of the Main-
Street Hammonton volunteers that
helped to make tonight’s tree light-
ing a very special event. Doesn’t
everything look great?” Gribbin
See LIGHTING, Page 8
DiMeglio Septic ,
Est. 1975 ~ DEP 03261 ~ Paul DiMeglio
Inc.
1 (800) 427-4617 ~ 561-1007 ~ 561-3597
491 White Horse Pike • Ancora, NJ
• Grease Trap Cleaning • Portable Toilets
• Septic Certifications • Jetting Service
Jingle & Mingle
PLEASE JOIN US FOR A
Jewelry Trunk Show &
Christmas Open House
THIS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 & FRIDAY DECEMBER 13
11 AM - 7 PM
ENJOY HOLIDAY FARE AND CHEER
Brand Jewelers
121 S. WHITE HORSE PIKE | HAMMONTON
(609) 561-6222 | ACROSS FROM MCDONALD’S