Moran volunteers work on park
Members of the local community have worked together to organize a special event and everyone is invited to gather around the big tree in downtown Moran for lighting of the tree and Christmas caroling at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, and then head to the Community Center to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
“Bring the family out for a night of community fellowship and warm up with a cup of hot cocoa,” invited organizer Michelle Taggart. “I remember years ago going down and watching the tree light up, and then going to visit Santa. It was always great to see the community coming together and having fun.”
Longtime Moran resident Julie Cottle spearheaded the tree lighting until she died in 2016, and this year a group of community members decided that they wanted to bring back the traditional event.
Volunteers put in a long day on Saturday, Dec. 1 stringing Christmas lights on the large tree at the corner of Fisher and Ground streets in downtown Moran, then additional workers joined them on Sunday, Dec. 2 to complete the project.
“Some of us worked Saturday and strung up the lights, plugged them up, and they all worked,” Taggart said, “...then half of them stopped.”
The workers were frustrated, according to Taggart.
“We were all kind of discouraged Saturday, after working all day, and then the lights, which are brand new, would not work correctly,” she said. “So we stopped for the day. We went back at it Sunday and worked until we were able to get them all burning again.”
The volunteers then weeded the flower beds, raked up several years’ worth of accumulation of pine needles, and scraped off and swept up all the weeds that were in the sidewalk cracks.
“It looks nice!” Taggart said. “I am keeping my fingers crossed that all the lights work when we plug them in on Sunday night.”
Sonny and Tonya Alexander have donated hot chocolate, Pizza Mark has contributed cookies, and the Moran City VFD will give little children a candy bag after they visit with Santa.
“Everyone is welcome!” Taggart invited.
Volunteers that worked on the project include J.J. Alexander, Sonny Alexander, Tonya Alexander, Tyler George, Dora Leonard, Aline McCormack, Michael Sanders, Michelle Taggart, Steve Taggart, Jeannie TenCate, Gene Thompkins, Kacenda Thompkins, and Misty Thompkins.
