EAST LONGMEADOW – This year is the East Longmeadow Lions Club’s 75th year of service, and as one of their fundraising efforts, the Club raised money to put new LED lights and a star on top of the town’s Christmas tree. On Dec. 7 at 6 p.m., the town will have the opportunity to view the new lights in action at the 65th anniversary tree lighting ceremony.

A few weeks ago ArborTech Tree Services came out to East Longmeadow’s Christmas tree, located at the rotary in front of the First Congregational Church at 7 Somers Rd., to assist in light installation. The company spent eight hours on hanging the new lights and star.

“We’re really grateful for Randy,” past President and Community Spokesperson Paul Cunningham told Reminder Publishing.

The Lions Club began fundraising earlier this year, and received donations from churches, many businesses in East Longmeadow and also received individual donations. The club had a goal of raising $2,500, and almost reached it, coming in at $2,300. Most of the monies collected went to the purchase of the lights and the star, and the remaining funds are for tree maintenance.

The new set of lights hung on the Christmas tree is a set of 2,300 C–9 LED bulbs. The old tree, Cunningham shared, had only 850 bulbs. The manufacturing date on these lights was 1965, according to Cunningham.

“The new lights are more safe; there’s less impact on the environment. These lights are under 250 watts altogether, whereas the old lights were 7 watts per bulb,” he said. “There’s an 85 percent energy savings.”

The star that sits on the top of the tree is three feet wide with 300 small LEDs twinkling blue and white.

Another fundraising event for 2019’s 125th Anniversary of the Town is an ornament painting contest that Lions Club President Jerry Celetti coordinated with East Longmeadow High School Superintendent Gordon Smith and the school’s art department. In this contest, art students painted or decorated one side of a 15 to 18-inch plastic ornament cut out to be placed around the tree lighting ceremony. The ornaments will be judged by a panel of judges made up of town officials and members of the Lions Club prior to the tree lighting with a deadline of Nov. 30. The top three ornament winners will be announced at the tree lighting and will be presented with Dunkin’ Donuts gift certificates.

“This is going to be a test contest to promote the big drive for the anniversary celebration where we hope to have larger prizes and a large community participation to help decorate Main Street for the 2019 holiday season,” Cunningham explained.

At the Dec. 7 tree lighting ceremony, the First Congregational Church will have a live nativity. Additionally, they will be serving cocoa and cookies and photo opportunities with Santa will be available. The ceremony will begin at 6 p.m., however the official lighting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Cunningham stated parking can be found at the Church, or at Center Square.