PLUMSTED: Merchants plan fundraiser to bring back holiday lights

By David Kilby, Special Writer
PLUMSTED — Business owners and merchants are hoping to bring back the Christmas holiday decorations on Main Street in New Egypt by holding a Fun Day at the Farm fundraiser at the Rain Dancer Therapeutic Riding Center on Oct. 21.
The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the riding center on Archertown Road and feature vendors selling fall merchandise, pumpkin painting, and possibly hay rides. The event will be hosted by the Plumsted Business and Merchants Association (PMBA) and spearheaded by Pamela Clyne, executive director of Reindancer Therapeutic Riding Center.
“The township, unfortunately, is not able to afford to pay for the holiday lights which in previous years were on Main Street, Township Committeeman Herb Marinari, president of the PBMA, explained in a phone interview last week. “Last year, they weren’t there at all.”
The PBMA wants to purchase holiday lights for this year and Ms. Clyne thought of the Fund Day at the Farm fundraiser to help support the cause, Mr. Marinari said. If the fundraiser is successful, it could become an annual event and also help pay for seasonal banners on poles and other downtown decorations.
The Township Committee on Oct. 3 discussed the planned fundraiser. Mayor David Leutwyler said it was better to have the community come together to pay for the holiday lighting instead of making township employees take furloughs in order for the municipality to have the money necessary to pay for downtown decorations.
“I think the great thing about Plumsted is it can come together as a community and do things like this,” Mayor Leutwyler said.
The township is also looking to move the community Christmas tree from Oakford Lake to the municipal building because there would be “better visibility, better parking, and less vandalism there,” Mayor Leutwyler said.
Mr. Marinari, whose business, Big Woods, donates a 15-foot Colorado spruce to the township every year, says the site near Oakford Lake is too wet anyway.
“It’s just not conducive to have anything growing in there,” Mr. Marinari said.
At the Oct. 3 meeting, William Lewis, chair of the Plumsted Township Environmental Commission, objected to the idea of having the holiday tree at the Municipal Building on Evergreen Road.
“Now it seems like everything that used to happen on Main Street is being pulled from Main Street,” Mr. Lewis said. 