From left: Elizabeth Hartz, 12, of Bristow, Va., Carter Bell, 2, of Bullskin Township and Ella Bell, 4, of Bullskin Township pose for a photo during the opening of the Braddock Trail Chapter annual Festival of Lights.
Photos: Kim Stepinsky | For the Tribune-Review
Braddock Trail Chapter DAR members Sue Hoke (left) of Mt. Pleasant Township and Annie Roller of Pittsburgh, chapter librarian.
Photos: Kim Stepinsky | For the Tribune-Review
From left: Terri Henry of Latrobe, and Terri Gademsey of New Derry, admire trees during the opening of the Braddock Trail Chapter DAR 30th annual Festival of Lights, held at the Samuel Warden Mansion in Mt. Pleasant on Saturday afternoon, November 30, 2019.
Photos: Kim Stepinsky | For the Tribune-Review
Braddock Trail Chapter DAR members, (from left), Peggy Shepler and Rosalind Ashmun, chapter registrar, pose for a photo near the dining room tree, during the opening of the Braddock Trail Chapter DAR 30th annual Festival of Lights, held at the Samuel Warden Mansion in Mt. Pleasant on Saturday afternoon, November 30, 2019.
Photos: Kim Stepinsky | For the Tribune-Review
The “Big Bird”tree, by Rosalind Ashmun.
From left: Joyce Cooper of Bullskin Township, Lori Bowman of Bullskin Township, and Valerie Collins of East Huntingdon Township, pose for a photo while looking at the trees, during the opening of the Braddock Trail Chapter DAR 30th annual Festival of Lights, held at the Samuel Warden Mansion in Mt. Pleasant on Saturday afternoon, November 30, 2019.
From left: Ivy Lin, 5, and her brother, Evan Lin, 7, both of Mt. Pleasant, stop for a photo while looking at the trees, during the opening of the Braddock Trail Chapter DAR 30th annual Festival of Lights, held at the Samuel Warden Mansion in Mt. Pleasant on Saturday afternoon, November 30, 2019.
“Rudy’s Market” by Lisa Cole, was one of the trees on exhibit during the Braddock Trail Chapter DAR 30th annual Festival of Lights.
From left: Lisa Jeffrey of Fawn Township, Linda Christopher of Uniontown, Giana Fascetti, 9, and her mother, Carrie, of Jefferson Hills, gather for a photo during the Braddock Trail Chapter DAR 30th annual Festival of Lights,
held at the Samuel Warden Mansion in
Mt. Pleasant.
What exactly do you do with an ugly yellow, 8-foot artificial Christmas tree?
Members of the Braddock Trail Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution weren’t sure after they bought it several years ago at a summer clearance sale at Brilhart Ace Hardware in Scottdale.
“It really is an ugly tree,” said member Rosalind Ashmun.
So it went into the basement of their headquarters in the Samuel Warden Mansion in Mt. Pleasant.
Inspired this year by the 50th anniversary of “Sesame Street,” they topped it with a Big Bird mask, draped it with yellow feather boas, hung it with Sesame Street figurines and colorful paper lanterns and brought it out for their 30th annual Festival of Lights.
The festival, featuring an array of decorated trees for sale, opened with a Nov. 30 reception and continues Dec. 5-8.
For those with more traditional tastes, there are trees adorned with Santas, snowmen, mittens, silver bells and plaid ribbons. Patriots can pick between two with red, white and blue themes. There’s a beach-themed “Christmas in Paradise” tree, along with a trio in silver, white and blue called “Snow,” “Frozen” and “Winter Wonderland.”
Guests enjoying a treat in the mansion’s dining room were awed by the sight of a ceiling-height tree clad in red, green and gold balls and lights — with a matching swag gracing the mantel, courtesy of the decorating talents of Harry Hunter.
Among DAR members welcoming guests on opening day were Ashmun, Peggy Shepler, Annie Roller, Karen Westerlund, Melva Roland, Esther Reese and Sue Hoke.
Seen: Linda Darr, Kathy Glessner, Monty and Janis Gamble, Gary and Charmel Makovsky, Rudy and Toni Boccabella, Carrie Fascetta, Giana Fascetta, Lisa Jeffrey, Linda Christopher, Sally Schenck, Robert Schenck, William Chang, Izzy Schenck-Chang and Evan Schenck-Chang.
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