FOLA Readies Christmas Tree for Celebration

In keeping with its tradition, FOLA (Friends of Ludlow Auditorium) helped the Town of Ludlow ready for the Christmas season by erecting the annual Christmas tree in the Ludlow Town Hall Auditorium this past week. FOLA will be sponsoring the annual Community Christmas Celebration in the Auditorium on Friday, Dec. 16 at 7 pm. The Christmas tree was decorated by members of FOLA in anticipation of the this celebration.


Pictured above is a display of the difficulty of dealing with bulbs imported from China that lack any means of connecting them to the tree is being solved, with considerable effort, by David Almond and Jim Alic as they patiently insert wire leads into the bulbs, bend the the leads to hold the bulbs securely and pass them to Susan McNeeley who has the responsibility of then bending the other end of the bulb's lead to attach it to the tree. Other FOLA members who participated in the tree decoration included: Anita Alic, Janet Pace, Jean Eggleston, Mary Jane O'Hara, and Patricia and Kevin Kuntz.


The Christmas Celebration on Dec. 16 will feature a number of area residents and students in a variety of holiday presentations.


Constance Wilcox,along with directing the Ludlow Elementary School singers and the Black River High School Chorus, will lead the "Bell Ringers" to start the program.


She will also play piano for two local singers, Cara White and Ashlee Shook, who will be singing some popular Christmas and holiday pop numbers.


The program will feature three student group performances by the Black River High School Jazz Band, the high school chorus, and the 3rd and 4th grade students from Ludlow Elementary School who will lead a sing-along to end the gala event.


Bruce Farr, a local creative writer and commentator, will read the popular Christmas poem, "The Night Before Christmas", accompanied by Tony Masteler on the guitar.


Broadway and TV writers and authors Stan and Jane Hart will offer their own seasonal play, "A Holiday Story".


George Thomson will tie the entire event together acting as program emcee. George will also present the classic reading of "Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus".


The Community Christmas Celebrate is, according to FOLA chairman, Ralph Pace, "FOLA's way of thanking the community for its support of various FOLA activities". For more information about this free event, call 228-7239.