Burton Mault as Joseph and Ali Jasmin as Mary lead a candlelight procession through the Village of Brockport on December 3. About 350 residents participated in the walk which followed the annual tree lighting ceremony. Jasmin was overheard saying, "I'm really nervous and this baby Jesus is really heavy to carry." See story inside. Photograph by Rick Nicholson.

When Inga Songbird, a relative newcomer to the Brockport community, first started talking about a community candlelight walk to benefit the local food shelf, her friends' responses were not all that enthusiastic. "You'll be lucky to get 25 people to come out," she was told.

But Songbird believed that residents would come out to benefit a good cause, and to have a taste of an old-fashioned Christmas event. She was right.

Three hundred and fifty residents turned out for the December 3 candlelight walk that began at 5 p.m. immediately following the village's annual tree lighting ceremony in Sagawa Park. The Brockport High School band performed for about 40 minutes before the ceremony, in rather frigid weather.

Then Burton Mault as Joseph and Ali Jasmin as Mary led the way as the group carried glowing candles up and down the village streets. The procession ended at the First Presbyterian Church where the revelers were welcomed with cookies and warm drinks. A folk group from Penfield provided music.

At least $700 was raised for the Brockport Food Shelf through the sale of the candles, Songbird said, although she expected the figure to climb a little higher when the final tally was made.

"We're definitely going to do it again next year," she said.