.png)
FRABA announced our volunteer of year at this year’s June Annual General Meeting.
My unanimous decision, Louise MacDonald, founder and owner of Joyful Sounds Music for her dedication to the annual Christmas Tree lights the last eight years.
Here is what Miss Louise had to say about the annual Fall River tradition.
I've been doing the tree lighting for 8 years - this coming fall will be the 9th annual. My absolute favourite part is the people I get to work with to make it happen, and then seeing the smiles on all of the people in our amazing community. Fall River is a busy place where everyone is coming and going. To have a moment in time when we come together and celebrate is just so special.
My least favourite memory in some ways has also defined the moment when the tree lighting became something more. It was the first or second year we did the lighting and I was pregnant. The forecast called for ‘light showers’ and so we went ahead with it. I had all these sweet little faces in the kid’s choir looking up at me, soaking wet. I just kept smiling and encouraged them to keep in singing - spread the Christmas Cheer! But we were SOAKED and FREEZING!
That's when Jason Crowell came to my rescue. He came up afterwards and said – “I got you, let's do this.” And the Tree Lighting transformed before my eyes. We went bigger, bolder, and have made it more special each and every year since.
Even a pandemic did not stop us from making a special memory as we hosted a virtual tree lighting with the help of Laker News and Dagley Media and many local sponsors.
It’s a ton of work each year, and some years I think – do I have it in me? But then we start planning and it’s always worth it. I can’t wait for the next one.