Chatham Emergency Squad’s “Snow Village”
Free, Family Fun – A Delight for Kids of All Ages
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the Chatham Emergency Squad proudly presents the 17th annual Winter Wonderland / “Snow Village” taking place throughout the month of December at its Chatham Borough building, located at 31 North Passaic Avenue.
The impressive display features more than 100 Department 56 model houses, cars and figurines with a working ski lift, ice skating rink and more, set amidst the backdrop of a snow-filled winter wonderland and a model train running through the center of town. Children of all ages are invited to see the exhibit for themselves and find hidden treasures among the exhibition during the numerous open houses held at the Squad building.
This year is particularly exciting since the exhibit was disassembled and packed into multiple cartons when it became clear that COVID would prevent a 2020 show. Despite the thousands of parts, a team of five volunteers, including several members of the all-volunteer Chatham Squad, working over multiple weekends, were able to recreate the magic of the experience. “We’re excited to continue this annual holiday tradition which has helped spread holiday cheer to, quite literally, a generation of Chatham residents,” said Bryan McGookin, an active member of the Squad who has carefully maintained the private collection, which remains on loan by Mark Spinner (Spinner retired in 2018 after 40 years of service and relocated to another community). “Much like the arrival of Santa himself, the Chatham Emergency Squad “Snow Village” has become a fixture of our community, signaling the arrival of the holiday season throughout Chatham,” added McGookin.
The Winter Wonderland / Snow Village will be open from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. every Saturday in December except Christmas Day; and from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. each Sunday in December. In addition, open houses will be held from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on December 8th, 16th, 24th and 27th. The full schedule is available at chathamemergencysquad.org. The Squad is happy to consider special times and group tours if staffing is available. These can be arranged by submitting a request through the website.
The Chatham Emergency Squad is an all-volunteer organization funded almost exclusively by donations. The Squad never charges for its services. They have responded to nearly 1,100 emergency calls so far in 2021 and have continued to provide free training in CPR to teachers, coaches and emergency personnel despite COVID restrictions on class size. To learn more, to donate or to volunteer, please visit chathamemergencysquad.org.
