Holiday celebration in Fairfield Twp. to benefit foster families

Bridgewater Falls and Fairfield Twp. officials hope people will get into the giving spirit next weekend at the Princeton Road shopping center to help a local charity.

The annual Holiday Lights event at Bridgewater Falls this week “is a great opportunity for the Fairfield Twp. community and our surrounding communities to embrace the holiday spirit,” said township Trustee Shannon Hartkemeyer.

And this year, officials hope those attending the event from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday will bring new socks and underwear (toddler to XL sizes) to help Hope’s Closet, a Hamilton-based non-profit that supports foster children and parents in the region.

“I think that foster parents are giving of themselves and their time, to help a child find a better way in life, and anything we can do as a community to support those parents and those children is wonderful, especially at this time of year,” Hartkemeyer said.

Sarah Coleman, Hope’s Closet executive director and co-founder, said it’s exciting to see the community “coming together and supporting these most vulnerable kids in our community. Having a place like Bridgewater Falls bring awareness to that, we’re so privileged.”

Hope’s Closet was founded five years ago this month and was created to enrich the lives of families impacted by children services, said Coleman, who is a foster parent with her husband, Tim.

“We really wanted to change the culture of foster care, and this is a very intentional way we could meet a physical need that was in the community,” Coleman said. “And it really gave us space to really dive deep and encourage foster families on a really deep level.”

Hope’s Closet has a staff of more than 60 volunteers, and this year it has impacted 4,000 foster children and parents around the tri-state area.

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The organization provides clothing, foster parent support groups and foster parent recruitment and training. The biggest need this time of year are new socks and underwear, as well as diapers.

“Those are the things we use up the most,” Coleman said.

Holiday Lights at Bridgewater Falls will include several activities, including:

• Ice skating

• Carolers

• Hot chocolate bar

• Giant snow globe

• Gingerbread bounce house

• Ornament making

• Photos with Santa Claus

Santa will arrive right after the tree lighting, which is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. in The Village Area (at the roundabout).

“We are excited for the community to come together to kick off the holiday season,” said shopping center spokeswoman Danielle Reynolds.

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About the Author

Michael D. Pitman

Michael D. Pitman has been a reporter in southwest Ohio since 1999. He's covered local governments in Warren and Butler counties, as well as state and national issues. He currently covers the cities of Fairfield and Hamilton.