Funkstown marks Christmas

December 08, 2000

Funkstown marks Christmas

By DAN KULIN / Staff Writer

Luminaires lit the sidewalks and friendly voices filled the air as hundreds of people came to Funkstown Friday night for the annual Olde Tyme Christmas.

"It pulls everybody together," said John Harrison Moore, 89, of Funkstown.

"People that don't speak to me, tonight they do," said Moore, the event's official greeter at Town Hall. "And you don't see anybody mad at each other."

"It's wonderful," said Janet Durbin, 50, of Hagerstown.

"I like all the friendly people and all the luminaires and everyone's real kind like Christmas should be. It's the spirit of Christmas," Durbin said.

Rich Gaver, co-chair of Olde Tyme Christmas, said the event has been held for about 10 years and drew more than 650 people last year. Gaver said the event costs between $1,400 and $1,600, which is paid for with contributions from the town and private donations.

"It's a chance for the community to get together. A chance to get together with friends and for everyone to get in that Christmas spirit," Gaver said.

Tammy Marriner said the event shows the closeness of the community.

"This community has a town picnic in the summer and this is the winter activity," said Marriner, 36, of Funkstown.

The event featured songs performed by first-graders from Funkstown Elementary School, singer Bobby Harmon, a skit by Brownie Troop 294, face painting, trolley rides and free cookies and hot drinks.

Megan Willard, who sang with her class and performed in the skit, said the Olde Tyme Christmas is a lot of fun. She especially liked singing the snow day song, because she got to throw fake snowballs into the audience.

Another singer, Jessica Domer, had a candy cane painted on her cheek and said riding around town in the trolley was her favorite part of the night.

At the beginning of the Olde Tyme Christmas, Sen. Donald F. Munson, R-Washington, presented the town's mayor with a framed certificate commending the town for being placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"Funkstown is a model for other historic small towns of Washington County. It is a town that celebrates its historic character and assets," Munson said.

|

|

|