Did you ever wonder why the Library Committee at SUMC hands out Christmas ornaments as a gift to people in the church? The Patton Library was created in part by a financial endowment given by Franklin Patton Sr. as a memorial to his parents and family members. A few requests by him were made when he donated this gift to the church. One was that each child be given a Christmas treat of an orange, apple, or candy. This came from a memory of his receiving an orange in his stocking as a child growing up in Sewickley. Over the years, candy and/or oranges were given to children in the church by the Library Committee as a result of his request. At one time, it was craft items and piggy banks. Then in the late ’90s, the idea of Christmas ornaments was born. It was well received, and the tradition continues to this day.
Mr. Patton’s generous gift to SUMC is a gift that continues to benefit the church in many ways, including the recent transformation of the library.
Merry Christmas to you and yours from the Library Committee.