BERNARDSTON — The holiday season kicks off in town this weekend, as the Bernardston Kiwanis Club’s pancake breakfast and the Bernardston Police Relief Association’s toy drive will both be held Saturday, Dec. 3, while a tree lighting will follow on Sunday, Dec. 4.
The annual pancake breakfast will be held from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the United Church of Bernardston, 58 Church St., alongside the annual toy drive from 8 a.m. to noon, which the Bernardston Police Relief Association organizes in partnership with the Bernardston Fire Department and the Marine Corps League Oak Ridge Detachment.
While the meal is free, pancake breakfast attendees are encouraged to bring an unwrapped children’s toy for the toy drive. Cash donations will also be accepted and will go toward buying gifts for older teenagers, according to Bernardston Kiwanis Club President Dan Devine.
“It’s really a fun event for the kids,” Devine said, noting that the toys and donations will go to local service agencies. The longtime tradition was created by Kiwanis Club member Andrew Girard, who Devine said is “all about giving back to the community.”
People will be treated to pancakes, sausages, fruit, juice and coffee, and Santa will make an appearance for any kids who want to tell him about their Christmas list.
Toys will be collected in the church’s parking lot. Devine said once the toys are collected, they are sorted by the “elves” into age categories and then brought to community agencies like Community Action Pioneer Valley, which will then distribute the toys to families in need “to try and make everyone’s Christmas a little brighter and happier.”
Devine thanked the United Church of Bernardston, which has always been welcoming to the Kiwanis Club and other community groups looking to host events.
“As always, thank you to the United Church of Bernardston for allowing this event to take place at their facility,” he said.
The tree lighting ceremony will take place on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. starting at the Bernardston Fire Station, 18 Church St., and will proceed across the street to Cushman Park where the tree is located.
The public is invited to stop by for the annual tree lighting, which will feature hot chocolate, cookies and communal singing, along with a fire pit. Santa will also be returning to town to greet more children. A mailbox to collect children’s letters to Santa will also be set up in Cushman Park in time for the tree lighting.
Devine thanked the Bernardston Police and Fire departments and Tree Warden Brad Bordewieck for helping coordinate the tree lighting.
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.
An earlier version of this article misidentified Bernardston residents Devin Crossman, Arabella Ciolino and Ronald Taylor III in the photo caption.