Festival of Trees honors supporters & a scholar

Christmas may be 6 months away, but that uplifting and unifying holiday vibe filled the air during the Methuen Festival of Trees’ annual meeting, held last month at Atkinson Country Club.

Since 1994, the festival has donated over $2 million to preserve historic sites around the Merrimack Valley. That money is raised during their annual showing of sponsors’ amazingly decorated trees and wreaths – an event now attended by tens of thousands each Christmas season.

Following a dinner buffet, President Rose Maria Redman thanked and honored several in attendance by presenting these awards.

*The Sharon M. Pollard Preservation Award went to the Salem (NH) Historical Society – the same group that received the very first preservation grant 25 years ago for work on the old train station. SHS recently spent 5 years restoring its Old Town Hall, and this honor recognizes their dedication to preservation and restoration.

But this project, which received a $10,000 FOT grant, has a unique connection to Methuen too.

“In 1742, the line was drawn to set the border between Massachusetts and New Hampshire,” Pollard explained to the crowd. “That building was once North Parish of Methuen.

“In the late-1800s/early 1900s, it needed to be restored and Edward Searles restored that building for them,” Pollard continued. “There’s a staircase up on the second floor that has the big Searles ‘S’ because, as we know, Mr. Searles put that ‘S’ in everything he built. … More recently, (Salem Historical Society) raised $300,000 to totally restore the building and they did a beautiful job.”

SHS President Brian Flanagan said the building now has ADA-compliant bathrooms, new siding, 32 new windows and more, “done just in time for Salem’s 275th anniversary on May 11.”

He welcomes the community to visit 310 Main St., Salem on Monday afternoons. There are guest speakers the second Tuesday of every month (see Friends of Salem NH Historical Society on Facebook).

*There were two Special Friend of the Festival Awards, recognizing those who go above and beyond to contribute to the success and growth of the festival. The first went to the Methuen Exchange Club, a founding member of the festival. The second went to the Irish Cottage, which hosts the festival’s annual volunteer breakfast and supports the Taste of the Festival event.

*The 2025 Festival of Trees scholarship went to Georgetown High School graduate Samantha Carter, a multi-talented student-athlete-musician and National Honor Society member who is headed to Emerson College to study literature, writing and publishing. She has volunteered at the Festival of Trees since 2019.

*The festival’s Volunteer Committee Co-chair Becky Montgomery of Methuen is leaving the board. Redman acknowledged what a stellar job Montgomery has done and presented her with a departing gift and a heartfelt hug.
The 32nd annual Methuen Festival of Trees runs from Nov. 22 to Dec. 6. It’s never too early to start planning your tree theme – or your visit! Info: methuenfestivaloftrees.com.

Longtime Exchange Club members Linda Buell (center) and Kathy Jones (right) also received a Special Friend Award from Festival of Trees President Rose Maria Redman for their decades of support.

Festival volunteer and Emerson-bound freshman Samantha Carter (right) received a Festival scholarship from Scholarship Committee members Susan Gingereau and Gina Lannan.