Farragut Houses, a city housing property in Brooklyn, recently held an inaugural holiday tree lighting event for its residents amidst the festive season.
Hosted by the Farragut Stakeholders Group (an advocate group for the Farragut community), the event featured a brightly lit, 15-foot-tall tree that was on-display in the housing property’s courtyard, providing wonderment to the over 400 people in-attendance.
“I’ve been a resident for 40 years and I have never seen a Christmas tree lit up here. It gave a sense of comfort and hope,” said Sharon Green, a resident of the Farragut Houses. “We came together as a whole and that is so important these days. I hope this will be a regular celebration.”
Attendees were able to indulge in their sweet cravings during the evening’s festivities, as the event provided hot chocolate from Brooklyn Roasting Company, brownies from Fat Witch Bakery, and cookies from Wegman’s.
In addition to offering delectable treats, the tree lighting event also hosted numerous musical performances from the P.S. 307 Chorus, The Daughters of the King choir, and BK United Marching Band; as well as a photo booth where participants could take memorable pictures with their friends and family.
“The children were excited from the moment they saw the tree in the courtyard. The seniors enjoyed the holiday spirit and a sense of joy, as they saw their community transformed. Many remarked that it was the first time they had seen some of their neighbors in a long time. What better way to foster community engagement than bringing everyone out for something festive,” said Latrel Mosso of the Farragut Stakeholders Group.
“If other communities can have this kind of experience, why not ours? It brought tears to my eyes to see the joy on their young faces and a special sense of gratitude to see the delight in the eyes of the seniors who attended.”
