Gallitzin Small Town Christmas continues to expand
Nov. 30—GALLITZIN, Pa. — For the sixth consecutive year, a youth organization in Gallitzin is hosting a Small Town Christmas.
Lori Shaw, troop leader of Frontier Girls Troop 213, said that the event started six years ago when the troop purchased a tree and caroled. It has continued to grow since.
This year's event will take place on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m.
Music will be provided by B & R Entertainment in both Veterans Park and Gremlin Park throughout the duration of the event.
The Gallitzin Fire Company will host a soup and hoagie sale as well as a toy collection for children in the community.
About 30 craft vendors will be split among the Gallitzin Sportsmen's Club, Penn Cambria Middle School and Please Mommie Graphic and Design.
The event will also feature Cookies with Santa provided by the StartSmart Learning Center, Vale Wood Farms and the Gallitzin and Sportsmen's Club.
The troop will sponsor a basket raffle at Penn Cambria Middle School. Games, crafts and trivia will be provided by the Gallitzin Cub Scout Pack 59.
According to Shaw, this year will be the first time that Lilly Goat Gruff will bring their goats to the event.
"It's kind of like going to be the start of a petting zoo area," she said.
Returning to the event will be a Christmas-themed scavenger hunt throughout the town, which will give participants the chance to win a prize; as well as horse-drawn carriage rides.
Both the Gallitzin Borough office and library will be open during the event.
Other new features this year include a Christmas tree throwing contest in Gremlin Park and a gingerbread house contest.
At 5:30 p.m., lineup will begin at the fire hall for a parade, which will take place at 6 p.m.
Following the parade will be the lighting of the tree.
Schedules of the day's activities will be available at Penn Cambria Middle School or Gallitzin Sportsmen's Club during the event.
Shaw said that the girls in the troop range from ages 4 to 17, and while some may not be able to help, their parents help with the event.
"I'm hoping that they see from us that you can go out into the community and you can make a difference, because that's kind of what our program is based off of. The motto is 'If you see the need, take the lead,' and that's kind of like what I'm hoping I instill in them — that they can see the name take the lead into the future," she said.
She added that she loves that the event has grown from a small tree lighting to a full-blown community event that just keeps growing in the span of six years.
"I'm really excited that it continues to grow and that the enthusiasm, even with the participation and everything, has grown this year," Shaw said.
"Again, I can tell by the number of calls and text messages that I've received and the communications that I've received that there's going to be a larger turnout this year again, and I'm just happy to do it. It's just become a part of being like my Christmas and what we do for them."
Shaw said that the Christmas spirit will continue the following weekend with a cookie crawl from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 9.
According to Shaw, the cookie crawl came to be when the troop's largest fundraiser, which was currently an adult Easter egg hunt, would land during the end of March, which would bring unpredictable weather.
The event will start with registration at 9 a.m at Cresson American Legion with the tour beginning at 10 a.m.
It will span 14 area businesses with participants returning to the legion to vote for the year's best cookie and to participate in a basket raffle.
Tickets for the cookie crawl are $20 and are available at Sehrer Mill & Hardware, 107 S. Main St., Gallitzin; and Meyers Insurance Agency, 318 Railroad St., Gallitzin; or by calling Shaw at 814-207-0437.
