Holidays promote community activity

 

 

The importance of a community coming together is shown in Amherstburg year after year around the holidays.

With the upcoming Amherstburg Freedom Museum-hosted Christmas concert, along with the town’s Christmas open house and second annual cookie exchange fundraiser, the people in Amherstburg are gearing up for the holidays.  It is lifting people’s spirits according to Amherstburg town councilor, Donald McArthur.

“Right now if you would come to Amherstburg you would think you were at the North Pole, we have lights up everywhere, we have thousands and thousands of dollars in lights, it’s like a magical winter wonderland downtown,” said McArthur.  “It just is a very festive atmosphere.”

The councilor had predicted the Freedom Museum’s Christmas concert would be sold out this year and he was right, according to the Amherstburg Freedom Museum’s Curator, Mary-Katherine Whelan. The Christmas concert is set to be a sell-out crowd.

“The reaction from the community was overwhelmingly positive, and we are really appreciative of that,” said Whelan.  “People coming together and buying their tickets and supporting the museum’s mission.”

The Freedom Museum is a non-profit organization focused on telling stories of the Underground Railroad in the area and keeping history alive.

“Everyone is welcome to join us for this warm and friendly celebration of the Christmas season,” said Whelan.  “It’s open to everyone who wants to come and support the museum, to come and listen to some chill songs with some Motown flair.”

The Motown Christmas Concert is a great way to come together according to Whelan.

“The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is an important and integral part of the Amherstburg community,” said McArthur.  “It’s a bi-cultural institution and this is a fundraising initiative for them, so it’s great music for a great cause.”

McArthur says going out into the community and spending money within it is an excellent way for people to lift each other up. 

“Its volunteers and community organizations that make good communities great ones,” said McArthur.  “We were founded, the town, in 1796 and have been going strong ever since, we have churches in Amherstburg, we have several museums in Amherstburg and they really enrich the fabric of the town.”

According to McArthur everything in Amherstburg is just a little different, due to the town’s uniqueness and all the little quirks that make the town special, especially at this time of year.

“It lifts people’s spirits,” said McArthur, “Life can get you down sometimes and it can really be a drag, but when you go into downtown Amherstburg, you see all the lights you see all the holiday events, it almost smells like hot chocolate and cinnamon, it makes you feel like Christmas, it makes you feel good and it’s really good for the whole family.”