atreeforallseasons

ighting up the lobby at Elmwood Park Pa P rks & Recreation

a story by Tina Valentino

Everyone at Elmwood Park Parks & Recreation Department was excited to put up a new Christmas tree in 2021 but when January 2022 rolled around storage space at the facility was limited and an idea was born. “One of our employees suggested we just keep it up and decorate it for every occasion, said Director Al Schmidt. “Over the last year, we ’ ve had lots of compliments Approving the idea was a no brainer. Everyone seems to love it.”

It was Angel Chiarelli who pitched the idea to Schmidt, offering to handle the decorating throughout all of 2022. “It’s a simple idea that makes people happy, y ” explained Chiarelli, a staff member at the Recreation Department for the past three years “Our senior citizens take pictures by the tree, little kids love it and women (more than men) love the concept.” story continues on page 8

According to Chiarelli, websites like Pinterest offer clever and sometimes lavish themes for keeping Christmas trees up throughout the year, decorating it for holidays and even birthdays, getting the kids involved and giving everyone a mood boost every month or every few months.

“We tried to make it fun, rolling into Valentine’s Day after Christmas, then a St Patrick’s Day tree, followed by Easter, patriotic from Memorial Day to the 4th of July, a Backto-School tree and Halloween before ramping up for Christmas again. It doesn’t require a lot of time or money we often get what we need at a dollar store.” Chiarelli recalls when she would walk down Fullerton Avenue on her way to high school, looking up at a window every day and noticing the Christmas tree.

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