Plenty to Offer
FREEPORT — Christmas shoppers and parade watchers Saturday got a sample of what Freeport has to offer.
The day featured a series of holiday events planned by the Freeport Renaissance Association.
“I'm thrilled to see so much activity. It's my hometown,” said Erica Peiffer of Natrona Heights.
“There's kind of a resurgence in activity and community life here,” said Peiffer, who recently moved back to the area after living in Pittsburgh.
At 1 p.m. was the annual fireman's parade on Fifth Street.
The parade had a community focus featuring fire trucks, the Freeport High School marching band and the Freeport football and girl's volleyball teams, which both went to the playoffs this fall.
There also were puppets borrowed from the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Santa Claus, who met with children at the fire hall afterward.
Also going on throughout the borough was a business bingo, a house tour and hay rides.
The Trinity Lutheran Church and the Masonic temple both hosted model train displays, and the Freeport Library had a flea market and bake sale fundraiser.
Mary Beth Jenson of Freeport said she brought her granddaughter Kiera Fischbach, 6, to see the parade and go shopping.
“We brought our granddaughter so she can experience Freeport and see what a small town is all about,” she said.
Jill Sommers of Natrona Heights said her children, ages 7 and 5, enjoyed the parade and the model trains at the Trinity Lutheran Church.
“It's just a lot of fun for the kids. They love the train displays,” she said.
The family also was doing the business bingo. By visiting all the businesses listed on the bingo card, they were entered into a drawing for gift baskets.
Debbie Sims of Sarver was waiting for the parade with her two grandchildren, ages 6 and 4, who were anticipating seeing Santa Claus.“They live in Kittanning and they missed the parade there. So we brought them here,” she said.Sue Hunter, a volunteer with the Renaissance Association, said she thought the events were well received.“We had a wonderful turnout, and we had so many compliments about how nice the parade was,” Hunter said.“The businesses were thrilled with how many people they were getting.”Volunteers with the VFW used the day as a way to raise money. They are selling engraved bricks for a new patio to be built around the community military memorials in Riverside Park.The World War I monument that had been at the junior high school was moved to the park this year.They hope to eventually raise enough money to install additional monuments, Navy veteran Donna Gardner said.The order forms are available at the Freeport Library or at freeportvfw6648.com.
