Hundreds of people visited Burrell High School on Saturday for its first Hometown Holiday Festival, featuring musical performances, local craft vendors, food trucks and family activities.

Nicole Butler, supervisor of Lower Burrell EMS, spent the day filling an ambulance for Toys for Tots of Tarentum.

She said the organization serves a large district and had a huge need for toys this year.

“So much of our world is bad things,” Butler said. “We needed something good.”

The ambulance service workers, wearing their best ugly Christmas sweaters, passed out peppermints and lollipops to kids who donated.

Arabella Tunstall, 9, who visited with her grandmother, Lynelle Tunstall, of Lower Burrell, and her 4-year-old sister, Maya, donated a board game.

Caitlin Tobin, who moved to Lower Burrell in 2018, took her son and daughter to the event.

“It’s a nice family event, and we’re looking forward to the parade,” she said.

Sherry Lucchetti, a teacher at Burrell’s Stewart Elementary School, attended the festival as a vendor.

She’s operated Kindred Spirit Soaps for about eight years, selling handcrafted bath and body products.

“Knowing the community came together and supports small business and being a community against is what matters most to me,” Lucchetti said. “It’s just fulfilling.”

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