Saugus Tree Festival a success

SAUGUS – The second annual Festival of Trees in Saugus was another huge success, said MEG Foundation President Janice Jarosz, as local companies and residents donated and decorated more than 40 Christmas trees to be raffled off.?It was so wonderful,” said Jarosz. “So many people came at different times and so many families. We had the best cocoa in town made with real milk and chocolate and cookies. Everyone said they just had a wonderful time.”The MEG (Marleah E. Graves) Foundation is a local non-profit group dedicated to preserving and restoring the old Cliftondale School on Essex Street in Cliftondale Square.Jarosz said the Festival of Trees is the group?s “big event” of the year, as local businesses like Boston Common Skating School, Saugusbank, 222 Central Storage, Wheelabrator and the Saugus Federal Credit Union decorated trees.Some trees were decorated in honor of certain loved ones or in support of different causes, like the Saugus Federal Credit Union tree, which supported breast cancer.?You could buy raffle tickets for whatever tree that you liked and wanted to win,” said Jarosz. “One gentleman wanted to win the Saugus Federal Credit Union tree because it was dedicated to cancer research because his daughter has cancer.”Several local groups also had trees on display, including Saugus Military Families, the Saugus Historical Society, the Saugus Tree Council and the Saugus Garden Club.Jarosz said the money raised will go to paying for the heat and the upkeep of the building.?We?re also trying to get an elevator in there one day, but you?re talking a lot of money,” said Jarosz. “Our goal is to get an elevator in there and to try to be handicapped accessible. We?re all volunteers. We don?t charge for a lot of things. It?s just a good thing for the community to have. There are a lot of great things happening.”Local attorney Richard Magnan also won a tree, and Jarosz said he donated it to a family that didn?t have one for Christmas.?You kind of get into the Christmas spirit because you can?t help it,” said Jarosz. “Especially when you see little kids running around. It?s the big event of the year and it?s a very joyous time. We love doing it because it brings so much joy to other people.”Santa Claus and his two helpers also made an appearance as did the New Hope Assembly chorus, which sang Christmas carols for the two-weekend event.?They were upstairs singing and you could just hear it throughout the whole building,” said Jarosz. “It was just a simple, simple Christmas gathering. Our committee is unbelievable. Everyone was just so good. It was just simple. No speeches or formalities. My committee is just exceptional, they can?t do enough.”The MEG Foundation has been working for years to restore the old school while making it more functional for the town. The group offers yoga and hula hoop classes at the school while Saugus Military Families holds its monthly meetings there. People can also have private parties, and there are plans for a play, a concert and art classes next year.?It?s like a big mansion,” said Jarosz. “Everything we have in that school is all original and it?s just beautiful. It?s all free. That?s the important part because nobody has any money.”For more information about the MEG Foundation visit megfoundationsaugus.org.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].