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FORTY FORT — As the guest of honor made his way to the borough’s annual Santa in the Park event Sunday, Mayor Andy Tuzinski admitted it was a “kind of bittersweet” day.
“We lost a very big supporter of Forty Fort — Betty Mascelli, a long-time councilwoman for whom this park is named,” Tuzinski said. “Her viewing is actually today across the street at the funeral home.
“We lost Betty, but she is shining down on us. She loved Forty Fort and loved the park, and she was always supportive of the events here.”
Mascelli died Wednesday at the age of 89. She served for 25 years on the Forty Fort Borough Council. She was a former President of the Forty Fort Fireman’s Auxiliary and was also a member of the VFW Post 8595 Auxiliary and Forty Fort Baseball for Boys.
Even as the day was bittersweet for Tuzinski, dozens of families were amazed by Santa’s ride down the Wyoming Avenue atop a Forty Fort Fire Department ladder truck on his way to greet the children at the park.
“It’s another nice day in Forty Fort,” Tuzinski said. “We have a nice turnout here.”
Children were able to sit on Santa’s lap, drink and eat free hot cocoa and holiday treats, and play in the freshly fallen snow from Saturday’s winter storm.
A Christmas tree was also lit in memory of Camryn Shultz, a 1-year-old who was killed by her father in a murder-suicide in October 2013. The tree was available for the children at the event to decorate.
Evan Harchar, 8, of Forty Fort, was one of the many children lined up to see Santa Claus.
“I’m excited to see Santa,” Harchar said. “I like playing in the snow,” he added.
He asked for miniature basketballs for Christmas.
Families for Forty Fort Park, a community-run initiative dedicated to making the best use of the Betty Mascelli Park, hosted the fifth annual event.
“This event would not be possible without the dedicated volunteers of Families for Forty Fort Park,” Tuzinski said. “I am very grateful to them for all that they do. They are the first to be here and the last to leave, and their contributions cannot be overstated,” he said.
Lori Girvan, secretary of Families for Forty Fort Park, helped organize the event.
“We do various events in the park throughout the year. It starts in the spring with our Easter egg hunt. We do movies in the park over the summer. We did a dance party which worked out very well. In the past, we’ve done a camp-out, and we also do Halloween and Christmas festivities,” Girvan said.
“It’s good to get people out and be active … to meet their neighbors and have a good time.”
Forty Fort Park will be hosting Hanukkah in the Park at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
