Christine Whelan, FEO, November 21, 2024, VOL. 6 ISSUE 6
Crystal Beach celebrates the life and memory of a beloved member of the community who left us too early, while it celebrates the beginning of the festive time of another year.
Fifteen years ago, a tree was planted at Queen’s Circle and lit up for Christmas for the first time. This year marks 15 years Fort Erie has been without Cindy McCooey-Little, who passed away of cancer March 29, 2009.
Just before I arrived at Cindy’s mom, Diane Nowicki’s home for a visit last week, she had gone through a box of cards, letters and receipts from 2009, from the days that followed her daughter’s passing. It was for the first time.
There was a card in the box with a note about her friends giving her money to plant the tree.
“They wanted me to plant it in my yard,” Diane shared with me. “But at the time, I was renting and I thought, what happens if I move? So, I contacted Martha Lockwood, who was on Council at the time.”
There was a receipt for the tree from the Garden Gallery. “It was a hundred bucks. Martha helped me get it planted.”
On that day, it was about three feet tall.
Over the years, the tree has been lit up around the beginning of December in memory of Cindy. Every year but 2020 because of the pandemic restrictions, since her passing, the immediate family, led by Diane, has gathered together with 50-100 friends and extended family to tell stories while decorating the tree, often with Cindy’s favourite, yellow roses, and drinking hot chocolate.
Cindy’s siblings attend the tree lighting. Brothers Chris and Shawn live in town. Her oldest brother, Butch, comes down from Brantford. “He’ll make a speech. Sometimes Shawn will tell a funny story. Her husband, Rod, and her children will be there. And all our friends.”
Diane included with a smile, “There is always a special person to plug in the lights. We pick out one person. It’s so hard to pick.” She says she’s got it narrowed down to a few people for this year.
Over the years, they have gathered. “We’ve even been out there in a blinding snowstorm.”
And over the years, the community has watched this tree grow.
Advancing Crystal Beach
In recent years, it has become harder for Diane to coordinate the event. In 2021, Advancing Crystal Beach (ACB) approached Diane, asking if they could help.
“Orma came to me.” Diane was referring to Orma Bleeks, former president of ACB.
Diane wants to make sure a “Thank you” is given to Karen Dobsen. “She’s the member of ACB who has now taken over the organizing of the tree lighting.”
She added with a tone of gratitude for ACB, “They even got a choir from the public school to sing carols.” This is the first year a choir has been added to the tree lighting event.
“You should see what else they’ve done this year,” Diane shared with such appreciation. “They’ve got the lights all the way to the top of the tree. They got a cherry picker to put them up there. And they made a great big star and put it at the top.”
We talked about how fast; strong and perfect the tree has grown over the years. Diane commented with gratitude how it has been taken care of. “It seems to have become Crystal Beach’s tree.”
Scott Boumeester has been an active volunteer with ACB for a few years now. He’s also a coach at GFESS so he knows a few of Cindy’s family members. He explained how he met the rest of the family at the previous lighting and heard some Cindy stories from those who remember her. He bears witness to how important this tree is to Cindy’s family.
Scott explained how symbolic the tree has become to the community of Crystal Beach. “It also ushers in the Christmas season. It represents what the Christmas season is all about. It’s about bringing people together.” Which fits perfectly as Cindy represented bringing people together. So many people knew Cindy.
Scott provided the story behind the lights reaching the top of the tree this year. “Last year, at the tree lighting, ACB connected with a couple, Lindsey and Kyle Fisher-King. Kyle said he works for an electric company that uses lift buckets that can be used to put the lights on.”
Scott followed up with Kyle and made arrangements. “They brought a big truck. We put a star at the top and strung the top part of the tree with lights.” Lights will be put on the lower part of the tree as the lighting date gets closer. Jacob Shirley from PowerCon was also there to help, says Boumeester.
“I think it’s going to look really spectacular. There’s going to be 500 feet of lights on that tree.”
All are invited to Cindy’s Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, which will be held on November 30 at 5:00 pm at Queens Circle, Crystal Beach. Come and enjoy hot chocolate, the John Brant Children’s Choir and stories about Cindy.
Non-perishable food items will be accepted for the Crystal Ridge Community Church and St. George Catholic Church, both in Crystal Beach.
Photos taken by Roman Ber
