Center Meeting House

I dropped in on Alice Lynn this morning to complete a little board of directors work with her and the conversation digressed inevitably to "Alice's Tree."  At 90 years old plus, Alice is doing very well and looking forward to the annual Lighting of the Tree.  But more on that later.

Sories abound about "Alice's Tree" and I thought that I would take the opportunity to ask her what the real story is.  One September day, probably in 1961, Alice had a friend buy a Blue Spruce for her in Concord to plant at the Center Meeting House, where she had been a trustee for many, many years and where she now continues as a member of the five year old board of directors.

That very first Hallowe'en somebody pulled it out and threw it on the ground a few feet away.  The next day as she went by it to check the mail she noticed that her three-foot tree was missing in action and she stopped to check it out.  She found it on the ground and immediately replanted it in the same spot.  She recalls that people driving by must have thought it strange to see her standing there wagging her finger at the tree as she admonished it with, "You grow, little tree!"  But with that event began her long love affair with that tree that still stands so strong, straight and healthy.  She told me that it must be because everyone in town loves that tree.

She recalls that she used to have it trimmed regularly by a man from Clarement who trimmed various trees in the area and she is pleased to hear that the town just recently gave it its most recent trim job. 

Alice notes that every day is a gift and that she has every intention of being there to be the one who will pull the switch to light the tree again this year.  She says that she has had that honor for the last twenty five years or so.

Be sure to join the Newbury Beautification Committee at 5 pm on December 4, as it again hosts this event this year.  Join them at the town offices for refreshments immediately following the tree lighting.