(above) More than 400 Girl Scouts of Cranford participated in the tree decorating ceremony.
Girl Scouts Traditional Tree Decorating Ceremony
Submitted by Kerry Rokicki
The temperatures were cold, but the hearts were warm and hands were busy at the annual decorating of the town holiday tree which was hosted by Brownie Troop 40455. More than 400 Girl Scouts of Cranford participated in the event which was held Friday, November 29 in Mayor’s Park. The decorating of the tree by Girl Scouts of Cranford troops is a tradition that spans several decades. 
“Our girls were thrilled to lead this fun and festive event for the other troops,” explained Troop 40455 co-leader Mrs. Angelica Valenza. “It is a wonderful tradition for our town. Not only is this a time for us to come together as an organization, but it is wonderful to see all the different and creative hand-crafted ornaments. The girls and their leaders put a lot of time and effort into creating their decorations.”
The morning activities included The Pledge of Allegiance led by Troop 41267, the singing of The Star Spangled Banner by Girl Scouts Ceclia Imhof and Maddie Coons and a food drive to benefit the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Girl Scouts from Daisys in kindergarten up through Cadettes and Ambassadors in high school participated in the event.
The tree in Mayor’s Park is located across from the township municipal building at the corners of Springfield and North Avenues. The tree decorating event was part of a full agenda sponsored by the Cranford Chamber of Commerce that culminated with the tree lighting ceremony in the evening.
The Girl Scouts of Cranford is an organization dedicated to building G.I.R.L.’s (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ of courage, confidence, and character who will make the world a better place. The Girl Scouts of Cranford Service Unit 48 is a part of the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey Council which is part of the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. For more information on the Girl Scouts of Cranford, go tocranfordgirlscouts.com.
