Montco Commissioners Usher in Holidays With Lighting Ceremony

Written by Community Editor Nicole Foulke

Montgomery county Commissioners Leslie Richards, Josh Shapiro and Bruce Castor, Jr. gathered with a cheerful crowd at 5 p.m. on Monday to light the county Christmas tree, a Hanukkah menorah and Kwanzaa kinara at the plaza level of the county courthouse in Norristown, facing Main Street.

“It’s a pleasure to have everybody together,” Shapiro said, addressing county employees and the rest of the community who gathered in front of display that was soon to be lit.

The fresh tree had been selected from the grounds of the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Lower Providence.

“It’s great working everybody here, and I’m wishing everybody a happy holiday season,” Richards said. 

She acknowledged the workers who had put the display in place, noting that the menorah looked as great as it did last year, when they first assembled it, and the kinara looked great, too.

“This is all part of bringing the county family together, said Castor.

The commissioners pushed down on a plunger that lit all three of the holiday symbols, encouraging everyone to gather as close as possible, to make it a group effort, and then the plaza was awash with light.

Olivia Brady, who will begin her term as a newly-elected Norristown Municipal Councilwoman in 2014, was there for the festivities, happily wearing a jacket bearing the name “Olivia” that she had received during an earlier council term, when she had been president.

Councilman William Caldwell was also there, and chatted with Francis De Simone, owner of the new Caffe' Galileo, on Swede Street, complimenting De Simone for the friendly light that came from the establishment’s windows, which can be seen from the courthouse steps. This year is Caldwell’s last term with council.