new york

The Strand Center for the Arts in Plattsburgh decorates a Christmas tree each year for folks in the Lake City to enjoy during the holidays. But this year, there’s a new twist to the tradition after a local social media group decided to give back to the community to make that celebration all the more special.Cory and Cameron Jersey, along with Monica Rouleau, are all co-administrations of the Plattsburgh Street Team Facebook page, which has served as a significant platform for community discussion over the past five years.Recently, Cory Jersey used that platform to discuss some concerns he had about The Strand’s Christmas Tree in downtown Plattsburgh namely, his disappointment in its decorations.”It was just a general observation of the appearance of it ,” Jersey said. “Being sometimes that we are like the voice of the people here in Plattsburgh, I figured, let’s have a discussion.”In a now-deleted post, Jersey was critical of the appearance of the tree and its decorations, comparing the vertical layout to the skin of a cucumber. He also originally thought the City of Plattsburgh was responsible for the tree, and said he thought officials could do better.When Jersey later found out that the tree was owned by the Strand Center and that donations are used to decorate the tree, he went online to apologize for the misconception.”We thought that maybe if there was attention drawn to it that maybe the community will be able to step in and help them,” he said. “But it was then later discovered that it was owned by The Strand. And we felt that it was appropriate and right to help them out.Jersey and his co-admins decided to help The Strand spruce up their tree by creating their own fundraiser to help purchase better decorations.Now, the trio said that they are donating funds generated from the sale of their clothing company, called Bonfire, to help purchase those supplies. Donations will be collected through Jan. 1 and will help with next year’s setup and display.In response to Jersey’s original post, The Strand decided to have some fun with the discussion and create their own cucumber-shaped tree ornament to also raise money for new decorations. Now, anyone who donates $10 or more to The Strand will receive a laser-engraved wooden cucumber ornament.While the group won’t know how much money they raised until after Jan. 1, they said they are excited to see what good the simple misunderstanding might bring for the future of the Plattsburgh Christmas Tree.I think the outcome is going to be great,” said Cameron Jersey. “Not that the tree isnt nice, but to have a nicer tree for next year, I think it will be good for everyone. People can purchase clothing on Bonfire’s Facebook page, or they can donate directly to The Strand Center to receive a cucumber ornament as a lasting memory of holiday cheer.