Text and Photos
By Marissa Sweatland
InkFreeNews

Buddy the Elf helps make his favorite sundaes with all the toppings including maple syrup, chocolate syrup, marshmallows and sprinkles.

MILFORD — Meet Milford hosted its second Christmas tree lighting on the lawn of the Milford Town Hall on Friday, Dec. 6. Before the lighting ceremony commenced, an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner was prepared and served by LITE in the community building next door. For dessert, community members could help themselves to an ice cream bar with all of Buddy the Elf’s favorite toppings.

Kyle Najacht and Jamie Buwa sit down to enjoy their spaghetti dinners.

All donations made this evening will go to benefiting LITE, a local nonprofit regional recovery hub through the Indiana Recovery Network. LITE works to provide peer recovery coaching, discussion groups, writing classes, training, book studies and educational opportunities for those trying to transition back into the community.

Judy and Ron Marquart enjoy their spaghetti dinner before heading to the Town Hall lawn to watch the tree lighting.

Right before the tree lighting ceremony, Patricia Gall passed out LED-light candles and a Christmas carol lyric packet. Andy and Cheryl Gall led the large crowd through multiple Christmas carols, including Silent Night, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Joy to the World and Dashing Through the Snow.

At the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Andy and Cheryl Gall lead the crowd in singing Christmas carols.

Meet Milford’s Angela Deak, Sierra Clark-Kern, Karena Wilkinson and Patricia Gall plug in the Christmas tree cord, officially kicking off the holiday season in Milford.

Karena Wilkinson, Angela Deak, Clark-Kern and Gall, all of Meet Milford, had the honorable role of plugging in the Christmas light cord. As soon as the tree lit up, the crowd ooh-ed and ahh-ed at the beautiful tree. The Christmas tree will stay lit through the holiday season. After the lighting ceremony, the crowd of community members were welcomed back to the community center to fight off the winter chill with a cup of hot chocolate.

With as much community support that was shown this evening, it is safe to say the tree lighting and spaghetti dinner will be back next winter as a Milford tradition. To stay up-to-date with other Meet Milford events, click here.