GREENWICH — Town residents have enjoyed the Junior League of Greenwich’s holiday event, The Enchanted Forest, for over 40 years.
This year, the Junior League transitioned many elements of the popular event into virtual and outdoor platforms. But the group was disappointed that it could not host the “Children’s Giving Shop” due to COVID-19 concerns.
The Sustainer Giving Shop Committee kept the spirit of the shop alive by creating The Children’s Giving Shop Tree as part of the Enchanted Forest celebration.
“It was one way the Junior League could reinforce the value of considering others this holiday season,” Karen Richard, Junior League president, said in a statement.
The group purchased a balsam fir tree and trimmed it with beautifully wrapped presents. The items on the tree represented what children would have selected in the “Giving Shop” for family and friends.
The Junior League of Greenwich created the The Children’s Giving Shop Tree as part of the The Enchanted Forest holiday celebration in December 2021. The completed tree was purchased by a generous donor, the Frascella Family Foundation, who in turn gifted the tree to Barbara's House. Contributed photo / Junior League of Greenwich.
Gifts were donated by Junior League of Greenwich members, and the came to a total of over 250 presents. Each item included a gift tag ready for a child to address as well as a tag indicating the contents of the gift. Behind each hanging gift was an ornament, allowing the tree to remain decorated once the gifts were removed. Large holiday bags filled with many more presents were gathered at the base.
The completed tree was purchased by the Frascella Family Foundation, who in turn gifted the tree to Barbara's House, a nonprofit that works with families in need in town.
“Thank you for your incredible generosity. What you are doing is truly a holiday miracle and will be so deeply appreciated by all of our clients young and old,” Gaby Rattner, executive director of Barbara's House, said in a statement. “The holidays are an especially challenging time; your gift will bring big smiles to so many people.”
The Junior League hosted a reception with members of Barbara's House and the Frascella family around the magnificent tree. The group thanked the “village of women” who donated gifts and decor, and the Frascella Family Foundation for their donations.
The Junior League of Greenwich is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism and improving the community. For more information, call 203-869-1979 or visit www.jlgreenwich.org.
This article first appeared in Greenwich Time.
