Monthly Archives: November 2016

Milford Business Owner Installs New Christmas Tree in Draper Park as His Way of Giving Back to the Town

Second Annual Milford Christmas Tree Lighting Planned for Friday, Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. in Draper Memorial Park

Milford Christmas Tree 2016

Milford Christmas Tree 2016

Last year Citizens for Milford purchased a Fraser fir tree and worked with town officials to have it planted in Draper Memorial Park. Installation of electrical access for holiday lights was coordinated by the Highway Department with donated services from O’Donnell Electric and Emerald Irrigation. Unfortunately, the Christmas Tree did not survive the stresses of the 2016 drought and it was removed from Draper Park over the summer.

And so we are thrilled to announce that David Sanchez, the owner of Busy Bee Landscaping & Construction in Milford, has generously purchased and installed a gorgeous new fir tree in Draper Park—all in time for this year’s Tree Lighting Ceremony. He is doing this because “he wants to give back to the town.”

Citizens for Milford extends our deepest appreciation to Mr. Sanchez, as well as to Mike Bresciani, Parks Director, and the Milford Parks Commissioners, for their enthusiastic support and assistance in helping us continue this new community tradition. We also thank Karen Mullen of Signs Plus in Milford for donating a sign to accompany the tree, as well as the Milford Schools Food Service Department for baking all of the cookies for the Tree Lighting ceremony.

It is our sincerest hope that the Milford Christmas Tree will serve as a symbol of peace and a gesture of good will to all Milford residents and visitors for generations to come.

tree-lighting-2016

Please plan to join us for the Second Annual Milford Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Draper Memorial Park on the evening of Friday, December 2. Attendees are invited to arrive at 6:30 p.m. for cookies and hot chocolate. The ceremony will start at 7:00 p.m. This community event is free and open to all Milford residents. Please invite your family, friends, and neightbors!

Highlights of this year’s event will include:

  • Holiday music played by a five-piece brass ensemble of Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra musicians. We hope you will share your holiday spirit by singing along to several holiday classics with us!
  • A special visit from the North Pole’s most famous resident and the opportunity for families to take their own photos with him. Please be sure to bring your own camera or smart phone.
  • The countdown to the lighting of the tree!

Rain Date: In case of rain on December 2, Citizens for Milford will hold the lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 3.

Are you able to attend this year’s Milford Christmas Tree Lighting?
If so, please let us know by replying on our Facebook event page here.

Help us spread the word on Facebook and by sharing a copy of our copy of our event flyer.

YOU ARE INVITED! Second Annual Milford Christmas Tree Lighting Planned for Friday, Dec. 2

tree-lighting-2016

Citizens for Milford is planning the Second Annual Milford Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Draper Memorial Park on the evening of Friday, December 2. Attendees are invited to arrive at 6:30 p.m. for cookies and hot chocolate. The ceremony will start at 7:00 p.m. This community event is free and open to all Milford residents. Please plan to join us!

Highlights of this year’s event will include:

  • Holiday music played by a five-piece brass ensemble of Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra musicians. We hope you will share your holiday spirit by singing along to several holiday classics with us!
  • A special visit from the North Pole’s most famous resident and the opportunity for families to take their own photos with him. Please be sure to bring your own camera or smart phone.
  • The countdown to the lighting of the tree!

Rain Date: In case of rain on December 2, Citizens for Milford will hold the lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 3.

Uhhhmmm….This Sounds Great, But Where’s the TREE?

Lit Tree with Status and Steeple

Milford Christmas Tree 2015

Inspired by the public Christmas tree that stands in Boston Common each December and the National Christmas Tree that has graced the Ellipse outside the White House since the Calvin Coolidge administration, last year Citizens for Milford purchased a Fraser fir tree and worked with town officials to have it planted in Draper Memorial Park. Installation of electrical access for holiday lights was coordinated by the Highway Department with donated services from O’Donnell Electric and Emerald Irrigation. Unfortunately, the Christmas Tree did not survive the stresses of the 2016 drought and it was removed from Draper Park over the summer.

And so we are thrilled to announce that David Sanchez, the owner of Busy Bee Landscaping & Construction in Milford, has reached out to us and generously offered to purchase, install, and maintain a new fir tree in Draper Park. Mr. Sanchez will be installing the new tree in time for this year’s Tree Lighting Ceremony. He is doing this because “he wants to give back to the town.”

Citizens for Milford extends our deepest appreciation to Mr. Sanchez, as well as to Mike Bresciani, Parks Director, and the Milford Parks Commissioners, for their enthusiastic support and assistance in helping us continue this new community tradition. It is our sincerest hope that the Milford Christmas Tree will serve as a symbol of peace and a gesture of good will to all Milford residents and visitors for generations to come.

Are you able to attend this year’s Milford Christmas Tree Lighting?
If so, please let us know by replying on our Facebook event page here.

Help us spread the word on Facebook and by sharing a copy of our event flyer.

Thank You Veterans for Your Service!

draper-with-3-flagsCitizens for Milford extends our sincerest appreciation to America’s brave men and women in uniform–those who have served, as well as those who continue to serve. Thank you!

To honor all our veterans and active service members, Citizens for Milford partnered with the Milford Corps of the Salvation Army to launch the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags. The Dedication Ceremony was held Friday, November 11. This profoundly moving event would not have possible without the enthusiastic assistance, support, and participation of the following individuals and organizations:

  • Major David Irwin of the Milford Corps of the Salvation Army
  • Mr. John Pilla, Veterans Agent, and the Veterans Services Office
  • Mr. Mike Bresciani and the Milford Parks Commission and Staff
  • Milford High School Band
  • Nadine Pomeroy, Director of Music and MHS Marching Band Director
  • Jill Boday, MHS Assistant Band Director
  • Soloist Sophia McClay
  • Board of Selectman Chairman Bill Buckley
  • Milford Police Department
  • Milford 495 Rental Center for donation of chairs

If you have not had an opportunity to visit the Field of Flags, please do so before this Wednesday. The flags will fly again in Draper Park for Memorial Day. If you would like to sponsor a flag for the next four holidays (Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day), please print the sponsorship form and mail it with your check anytime. If you need to be mailed a copy of the form, please email us at CitizensforMilford@gmail.com.

row-of-flags veterans-at-ceremony

To see MORE photos, check out our albums on Facebook:

draper-at-night-with-fof

You Are Invited to Visit the Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags

flag-with-ribbon-and-cardThe Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags has been installed, and each of the flags has a yellow remembrance ribbon and honoree name card attached. We invite you to walk through the flags and ponder the selfless service of veterans known and loved by local residents! It truly is a sight to see!

Check out the map below to see the alphabetical layout of the flags.

And please plan to join us as we honor our nation’s veterans at the VETERANS DAY PARADE in Milford this Friday morning. The parade starts at 10:00 a.m. and marches from the Stop & Shop plaza, west on Main St., all the way to Draper Park. At the conclusion of the parade, the FIELD OF FLAGS DEDICATION CEREMONY will take place at approximately 11:00 a.m.

field-of-flags-map

Download and print a copy of this map.

fof-1

We placed 100 flags in Draper Park on Monday and added the yellow remembrance ribbons and honoree name cards Tuesday.

flags-at-court-house

Citizens for Milford also placed two flags at the Court House Memorial.

Check out even more photos HERE and HERE!

Draper Memorial Park Field of Flags Honoring Veterans and Active Military Goes Up Monday, November 7

draper-statue-with-flag

Dedication Ceremony to be Held Friday, November 11, at the Conclusion of the Veterans Day Parade

Citizens for Milford is thrilled to report that we have received sponsorships for over 90 flags to be placed in Draper Memorial Park, starting Monday, November 7, to commence the Field of Flags project for Veterans Day. We thank everyone who has chosen to sponsor a flag. Each of these flags will also be placed in Draper Park on Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day next year.

We invite all area residents to help us launch this new community tradition by attending the Field of Flags Dedication Ceremony, to be held in Draper Park at the conclusion of the Veterans Day Parade this Friday, November 11.

Please make a note of the following information:

  • The flags will be placed in Draper Park on Monday, November 7. We will attach the yellow remembrance ribbons and honoree cards to the flags on Tuesday afternoon. Everyone is welcome to stop by the park and walk around the flags anytime. The flags will remain in Draper Park until early the following week.
  • The parade will take place on Friday, November 11, starting at 10:00 a.m. at Stop and Shop and continuing down Main Street down to Draper Park.
  • The dedication ceremony will take place in Draper Park at the end of the parade. We anticipate the ceremony will start at approximately 11:00 a.m. You may choose to walk alongside the parade as it marches downtown or go directly to Draper Park to await the arrival of the parade.
  • The ceremony will include music, a blessing by Major David Irwin of the Salvation Army, and comments by Board of Selectmen Chairman Bill Buckley. In addition, we plan to invite flag sponsors in attendance to say a few words about the person they have honored with a flag. This is not mandatory, but if you are a flag sponsor and would like to say a few words about your honoree, we would welcome hearing from you!
  • If the parade is cancelled on Friday due to rain, we will hold the Field of Flags Dedication Ceremony on Saturday, November 12 at 10:00 a.m. in Draper Memorial Park.

We look forward to a beautiful display of red, white, and blue in Draper Park this week and hope for a large community gathering at the Field of Flags Dedication Ceremony!

Citizens for Milford extends sincerest appreciation to our partner, the Milford Corps of the Salvation Army, as well as to Mr. John Pilla of Milford Veterans Services and Mr. Mike Bresciani of the Milford Parks Commission for their enthusiastic support and assistance.