The Methuen Festival of Trees held its annual meeting June 15 at Sweetheart Inn.
Members awarded the Sharon M. Pollard Preservation Award to The Lawrence History Center, which is restoring the Essex Company and Yard – built in 1883 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Special Friends of the Festival Award went to George’s Bakery in Methuen. The Maroun family not only serves its Middle Eastern delicacies to guests at the festival’s First Night, but Jennifer Maroun has also decorated a gorgeous tree for the popular festival. In fact, the George’s Bakery tree – called “Dreaming of a Diamond Christmas” – won first place in the 2025 Most Beautiful category.
Scholarships were also awarded at the meeting.
Andrew Bolton of Methuen graduated from Central Catholic High School in Lawrence and will study finance at Quinnipiac University in the fall. He played varsity golf at Central, was a Student Ambassador and a member of the National Honor Society.
Cameron Nutter of Andover graduated from Andover High and is heading to Virginia Tech to study engineering. Nutter was a captain on the tennis team at Andover High, a member of the pickleball club and a member of the National Honor Society.
~ Yadira Betances Muldoon
Rose Maria Redman, president of the Methuen Festival of Trees, poses with 2026 high school graduates Andrew Bolton (left) of Methuen and Cameron Nutter of Andover, who each received a Festival of Trees Scholarship.
The Lawrence History Center was awarded the Sharon M. Pollard Preservation Award. Shown are (from left) Methuen Festival of Trees founder Pollard, the History Center’s Executive Director Susan Grabski, Festival of Trees President Rose Maria Redman and Jennifer Maroun of George’s Bakery which received the Special Friends of the Festival Award.
ML photos by Yadira Betances Muldoon
