WEST POTSDAM -- The West Potsdam First Responders held their third annual Memory Tree Lighting Ceremony Dec. 16, honoring dozens of family, friends and respected colleagues.

At the intersection of CR 34 and CR 35 on a brisk night with temperature at 12 degrees, more than 50 members of the West Potsdam community and surrounding area gathered to hear Capt. Scott Niles dedicate the tree in memory of past firefighters, friends and family.

This year’s tree was more important for many as those remembered included a founding member of the West Potsdam Volunteer Fire Department.

This year’s speech by Capt. Niles was on what the lighting means. Earlier in the month, he received a call from a local newspaper asking what the significance of the tree was. He told the reporter that each bulb represented a loved one, a friend, brother, sister, mother or father. And this year he was adding a new name to the list, his father-in-law.

After the dedication, David Sandford had the honor of lighting the tree. After the lighting and speech, due to the weather, the group returned to the station by singing “Silent Night.” Upon returning to the fire station, a reading of the sponsors and those who they wished to remember was done by Niles. The reading consisted of the 53 sponsors’ names and the names of the 179 friends and family members to be remembered.

After the reading, refreshments were provided for all who attended, with the help of the West Potsdam Ladies Auxiliary.

The West Potsdam First Responders would like to thank to all who helped set up the memory tree, those who donated and those who attended the lighting ceremony.

• Here is the list of sponsors and those they wish to be remembered:

• The Bonno Family; Paul Bonno, Leonard Bonno, Georaye Bonno, Lottie Bonno, Gilbert Bonno and Earl Bonno; Howard and Helen Butterfield, Anna Butterfield and Lillian Narrow

• Mary Akley; LeRoy Akley, Darwin and Theresa Desmond, Elbert and Sarah Akley, Stacy Dominy; Charles and Alice Desmond, Elbert, Sarah and Elmer Akley; Earl and Inglee Akley, Darwin and Nellie Hill; Robert and Ella Desmond, John and Ella Desmond; and Lora Hill

• Andrew Miller and Family; Jean Miller

• Jane and Tom Plastino; Paul Haggerty; Pearl Gilson; and Cecil Matthie

• Bill and Betty Grant; Elizabeth Cutler; Marguerite Grant; Barbara Emerson; Mary Ann Miller; Harold Wilson Ross Logan and Amy and Guy Blanchard

• Fay and Cindy Sheldon; William Barnes; Guy and Amy Blanchard; Bruce Martin; Bill and Lucy Bates; Ross Logan; Kathleen Sheldon

• Deborah Hart; Elmer and Patricia Lohr, Lester and Mildred Farmer and Ms. Betty Cleaver

• Ardis Barnes; Burnice and Raymond Barnes; Marion and Edwin Richardson; Lyle and Freida Richardson; Otis and Adelaid Richardson; Jerald and Helen Richardson; Earl Richardson; Betty Blanchard; Bessie and Earl Blanchard; Ruth and Charles Penrose; Jean and Mart Martin; Bruce Martin; Helen and Howard Dygert; Mary Ann Miller; and Kenneth and Hilda Armstrong, William Barnes, Ross Logan, and Kathleen Sheldon

• Scott, Cindy and Scott, Jr. Niles; Roy and Florence Brabaw; Donald W. Sharlow, Michael Sharlow; Jack and Carol Hall; Glen Niles; Doris Hayward; Josh (Crusher) Ayrassian; and Althea Perry

• Dave and Judith Sanford; Raymond Nielsen

• Beverly Brownell; Raymond and Burnice Barnes

• Ardie Richardson; Helen and Gerald Richardson; Dewey Pierce; Marge and Ben Pierce; Dot and Herb Pooley

• Jerry and Alice Dibble, Jr.; Leaola Daniels and Jerry Dibble, Sr.

• Sandie Barner; Grace Downs, Larry Barner and Thomas Allerton

• Wayne J. Green; Francis and Dorothy Green, Bob and Nonie White, and Margaret Mathney

• Cindy and Amanda Sullivan; Vivian Hayes, Jim Hayes, William Hayes; Margaret LaBarge, Loretta, Richard and Nancy Sullivan; David Sullivan and Frank Martin

• Ron and Rosemary Forbes; Charles Forbes and Bernard Weaver

• Sue and Larry Sheridan; Wava and Charlie Darling and Larry Sheridan, Sr.

• Trickey White; Josef Hassler

• Pota Davis; Max Wilcox

• Jacki Degraw; Collen Young

• Great Northern Printing; Ronald J. Walter, Jr

• Kim Hayes; Barbara Barney

• Todd and Tara Planty; Corlena Nichols

• Sharon Yousey; Rod Whitmore and Brian Whitmore

• Cayla McGregor; Matthew James Stone

• Kevin and Becky Smith and Girls; Garrett Philips, Anna Grant, and Nancy Sullivan

• Paula, Bonnie, Barb & Families; Pete and Kay Crayford

• Sally Boslet; Dorothy Vanderburg

• Larry Hazen; Ann Hazen Smith

• Liz Bollt; Markus Ring

• Robert and Connie Forbes; Charles Forbes and Steve Bowen

• Anonymous; Edison Richards

• Mason Family; Gertrude Mason

• Paula Martin; Pete and Kay Crayford

• Ann Beauchamp; Garrett Philips

• Cathy Avadikian; Chad Fuller and Keith Fuller

• Anonymous; Jamie Mcelheran

• Ellen Galo; Ginny Marks

• Marianne Augenstein; Katya Greer

• Anonymous; Tommy Fleming

• Kevin Bates; Lois Bates

• Ranny Gale; Roland Berger

• Kay Hassett; Grace, Connie and Emmett Connelly

• Betsy Baker; Mary Ann Miller

• Tom Feteie; Michael Feteie

• Debbie Goings; Jodi Goings

• Ryan H.; Bill Madden

• Henry, Penny, Dustin, Amanda and Bailee Bradley; Bernie Weaver, Patricia Bradley and Isabell Bradley

• Frances and Collen Sheridan; Larry Sheridan, Sr.

• Leona Rockefeller; Stanley and Lillian Narrow; Leonard Bonno

• Wayne D. “Duffer” and Jennifer & Family; Raymond and Shirley Tucker and Paul and Anita Smith

• Margaret Vaughn; Norman and Barbara Vaughn