The message was loud and clear from Joe Mure whose Neponsit home is transformed into a Winter Wonderland each year with the lighting of the Little North Pole:
Sandy Won’t Stop Santa!
Mure, a well known criminal attorney, has used the event to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for many years. But this year things were a little different in Neponsit , one of the hard-hit communities in Rockaway.
Mure, who lost a great portion of his home to the storm, knew it wouldn’t be easy but also knew in his heart,there was no way he was cancelling. “I thought about not doing it for one second,” he said, “and then I started making phone calls.”
Mure admits that even he was a little surprised at the support he got from neighbors, family and friends to make it happen.
But make it happen they did, right down to the arrival of Santa by helicopter as he does each year. The crowd was treated to a musical celebration with performers including tenor Chris Macchio and Angelo Venuto as well as food and presents for every child.
The night is usually known for it’s huge lighting display, but this year that was traded in for something Mure knew the crowd would appreciate much more. Instead of toy soldiers and reindeer spread across the lawn, 26 Christmas trees draped with white lights were lit to honor the memory of those who died at an Sandy Hook elementary school .
“The most important thing is that children get the escape from things they should never see, Joe Mure said. “We all needed something. Take a look around. This looks like it. Merry Christmas.”
