JT waives police fee for Christmas event

Jim Thorpe Borough Council unanimously voted to waive the police services contract for the upcoming Olde Time Christmas tree lighting celebration downtown.

The ceremony in Josiah White Park is scheduled for Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. followed by Santa’s arrival at 6 p.m.

The Christmas activities are being organized by Turn To Us, a Jim Thorpe-based volunteer organization dedicated to helping families and individuals dealing with major or chronic illness. The Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency is assisting with the promotion.

“Turn To Us stepped up to make this happen in a volunteer position,” JTTA acting President Michael Rivkin said. “They don’t have the money to pay for police protection for the event and it’s not in our budget. We requested the council waive the fee, because this is really a hometown event. It’s not like one of our larger festivals that is geared toward bringing people into town for a positive economic benefit. We know we have to be a partner for events like that. But this, just like the July Fourth event, is for the people of Jim Thorpe.”

Police Chief Joe Schatz said he didn’t oppose the request. The department, he said, plans to have two additional officers on duty, one on each side of the busy Susquehanna Street intersection, helping people cross the street between the park and the Broadway business district.

“If anything should happen during the tree lighting itself, we could use one of those officers to go to the incident as well as our two duty cars that would be on at that time as well,” Schatz said. “Then we could still leave that one officer at the intersection to help people cross. The two extra officers would each be working three hours, so six hours total.”

The tree lighting ceremony will feature Jim Thorpe High School choir and band performances. Also, Turn To Us clients will be singing carols and a Turn To Us family will light the tree with Santa. Attendees will have a chance to meet Buddy the Elf and the Sugar Plum Fairy, indulge in a hot chocolate and special toppings bar, buy cookies, and personalize a Christmas ball for the tree for $5. Turn To Us will run a toy and present drive and there will be a holiday scavenger hunt through the stores in the historic district.

“Proceeds from the event will go toward the sensory gym we plan to install in Nesquehoning,” Alicia Kline, executive director of Turn To Us. “

With bright and interactive equipment aimed at developing body awareness, movement and balance skills, the gym will be a place where children with autism can explore and play freely, Kline said.

“We’re hoping to raise around $50,000,” Kline said at a borough workshop last week.

Jim Thorpe Mayor Michael Sofranko also supported the police services contract waiver.

“The tree lighting is about as local an event as you can get,” Sofranko said. “A lot of children attend it. I don’t usually get involved in asking council to make these decisions, but we’ll work out the funding for this one event.”

After approving the waiver, Council President Greg Strubinger lauded the efforts of Turn To Us for bringing the event together.

“They are a great local organization who helps children with illnesses,” Strubinger said. “Charity starts at home.”