Exchange Club’s 50th Annual ‘Christmas Tree Sale’ Opens Friday at Kiwanis Park

One of New Canaan’s great holiday traditions kicks off Friday, Nov. 24 with the opening of the Christmas Tree sale at Kiwanis Park. Organized and run by the Exchange Club of New Canaan, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the sale, which raises funds for charitable organizations here in town and in nearby communities. “Thanks to the support and generosity of the people of New Canaan, we’ve been able to donate more than $1 million to over 30 local charities in the past 10 years alone, and the Christmas tree sale is by far our largest fundraising event,” Club President Charlie Holmes said in a press release. The tree lot in Kiwanis Park, on Old Norwalk Road, will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, starting Friday and running through Dec.

Letter: ‘Thank You’ from The Exchange Club

The Exchange Club of New Canaan had another banner year of sales with 1,260 trees and almost 2,000 wreaths sold at our annual fundraiser in Kiwanis Park. We netted nearly $90,000, which we’ll distribute to local not-for-profit organizations this year. We want to thank the New Canaan community and residents from nearby towns for buying trees and wreaths from us. We were also pleased to see many adults and children attending our annual Lou Moreno tree lighting ceremony. We could not have been successful without the help from many organizations including the Service League of Boys, the Girl and Boy Scouts, Pivot Ministries, the Shepherds, the New Canaan Recreation Department, the Chamber of Commerce, Old Faithful, Studio Singers and watch dog Wisdom.

Did You Hear … ?

We’re wishing a speedy recovery for New Canaan First Selectman Rob Mallozzi, who is laid up at home this week—booked already as a vacation week—after spraining his ankle and breaking a lower leg bone (fibula) during a freak accident last weekend. Up in Newport, R.I. with New Canaanites Nick Williams, a second selectman, and Paul Foley, a police commissioner, for the 12-meter sailing races, Mallozzi—who had gone uninjured in eight years as a volunteer firefighter here in town—took a misstep between a sailboat and launch and rolled his ankle. As per Coastal Orthopaedics in Norwalk, the first selectman said he’s got to keep the leg elevated for a full week to prevent swelling and quicken the recovery process, and hopes to be back at work next Tuesday. “Everyone has reached out to me, my wife and family and friends have been wonderful, and as upset as I am, that part of this has made it a little easier,” Mallozzi said on Wednesday. The first selectman was to have taken a real vacation this week, including an Eagles concert, but had to forego it while he recovers at home.