Sandy Hook Tree Lighting at Arlington Elks Thursday Evening

Twenty-six Christmas trees will be lit with white lights at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Arlington Lodge of Elks on Pond Lane to honor the 26 victims of Friday’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

The event is being organized by Debbie MacDonald, a member of the Arlington Elks. You can join the event on Facebook here: Sandy Hook Memorial Tree Lighting.

On the Facebook page, MacDonald said that Season’s Four in Lexington has already donated the 26 trees, but that white Christmas lights and outdoor extension cords are still needed.

Lights and extension cords can be dropped off at the Elks’ member’s lounge from now until Tuesday (its door is at the bottom of the stairs at the rear of the lodge; it’s open 3-11 p.m. daily).

The lights will stay lit until Sunday, Jan. 20, and the Elks will be collecting cash donations until Jan. 19, which will then be sent to Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Donations can be sent to:

Debra MacDonald
PO Box 750016
Arlington, MA 02475

Volunteers are also needed to help set up and decorate the trees. For more information on volunteering, contact MacDonald at 781-492-8363.

For more on how to help the families affected, comment on this Newtown Patch article.

If you’re interested in donating to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund directly, which was established by the United Way of Western Connecticut and Newtown Savings Bank, you can mail donations here:

Sandy Hook School Support Fund
c/o Newtown Savings Bank
39 Main St.
Newtown, CT 06470

If you have questions on the fund, you can call 800-461-0672.

Also, see Newtown Patch’s continuing coverage of the tragedy.