CLOSER LOOK

Festival of Trees schedule

Saturday, Nov. 29

Breakfast with Santa, 8:30 a.m.

Festival Feast, 5 p.m.

Hayride, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 30

Teddy Bear Tea Party, 1 p.m.

Ecumenical service and grand opening celebration, 7 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 1

Congin/Canal chorus, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 2

Mad Hatters Tea Party, 1:30 p.m.

Celebration Choir, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 3

LOGOS worship, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 4

Prides Corner kindergarten party in the morning

Friday, Dec. 5

Tips for Charity luncheon, 11:30 a.m.

Choir Cabaret, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6

Mystery gift tree in the morning

Closed in the afternoon

While many Westbrook residents were busy decorating this week for the opening of the Festival of Trees Saturday, one tree was already laden with ornaments at the beginning of the week.

Since students in the city were to be on vacation this week, the third-graders from Maryanne Giggey and Catherine Cruz’s Congin School classes got into the Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church early to do their decorating.

“They opened up the church specially for us,” said Giggey.

The students took a bus over to the church last Friday morning and adorned the tree with felt ornaments featuring photos of dogs and cats from the Animal Refuge League on Stroudwater Street.

The heart-shaped ornaments with the cats’ pictures are stuffed with catnip and a bell, and the boot-shaped ones, with dog photos, are filled with bones.

“The idea is people would see it and adopt a pet,” said Giggey, who has had her students decorate a tree to benefit the Animal Refuge League for the past four years.

She said decorating the tree is the first of many projects her students will complete throughout the year to benefit the shelter. She and Cruz try to emphasize service learning in their classrooms. Rather than having them visit a nursing home or volunteer at a soup kitchen, Giggey said she chose helping out at the Animal Refuge League because of the fondness for animals that third-graders have.

“It’s a passion of mine and the kids love it,” she said.

Giggey said the students had an “unbelievable” time decorating the tree Friday.

“The kids did all the work themselves,” she said.

Giggey, Cruz and their students hope that residents coming to view the trees will take an ornament away with them, bring it to the Animal Refuge League and add a new family member to their homes. Giggey said it’s happened in years past. and she let the students know Friday just how much their hard work benefits the community.

“We discussed how important what we’re doing was and that they can make a difference,” she said.

Other themed trees to be decorated next week are Springbrook Nursing Care Center’s “Fabulous ’50s” tree, Mission Possible’s “Holly Jolly Teens” tree and Drouin Dance Center’s “Nutcracker” tree.

The Festival of Trees takes place at Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church at 810 Main St. Events will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29; from 2 to 4 p.m and 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30; from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1 – Friday, Dec. 5 and from 10 a.m. – noon on Saturday, Dec. 6. In addition to the tree display, a miniature railroad set up will be featured throughout the festival.