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Teens brighten season for area seniors

SOCIAL HELD — Burgettstown High School student Emma Gragan, center,, organized and executed the “Coraopolis Christmas Social 2016” recently, where she has been holding the event since she was 10 years old. She was joined in holding a carol sing-along by fellow Burgettstown High students Tisha Moss, left, and Jim Gallucci, right, and the young people also served coffee and cake during an intermission. -- Contributed

CORAOPOLIS — Three Burgettstown teenagers made some local seniors’ Christmas a little brighter Dec. 3.

Emma Gragan, a classically trained vocalist who performs at community events throughout the greater Burgettstown area and a Burgettstown High School student, has been hosting a social at Coraopolis Towers since she was 10 years old. Her grandfather lives at the assisted-living facility, and she envisioned the event as something fun for him and other residents to enjoy. That wish has grown into an annual event, the “Coraopolis Christmas Social,” attended this year by approximately 50 residents of the Coraopolis Towers.

She has recruited other young people to be her “holiday helpers,” and this year she was joined by fellow Burgettstown High School students Tisha Moss and Jim Gallucci.

The group distributed reindeer antlers for residents to wear, and Emma performed several classic Christmas carols, including “Ave Maria,” “What Child is This?,” “O! Come All Ye Faithful,” and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” and Broadway standards from “The Sound of Music.” During an intermission, the holiday helpers served coffee and cake and distributed Christmas-themed door prizes. To round out the afternoon, the young people distributed large-print song lyrics and led the residents in a sing-along of “Joy to the World,” “Deck the Halls,” “Away in a Manger,” “Jingle Bells,” “We Three Kings,” “The First Noel,” “Silent Night” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

SOCIAL HELD -- Burgettstown High School student Emma Gragan, center,, organized and executed the

SOCIAL HELD — Burgettstown High School student Emma Gragan, center,, organized and executed the “Coraopolis Christmas Social 2016” recently, where she has been holding the event since she was 10 years old. She was joined in holding a carol sing-along by fellow Burgettstown High students Tisha Moss, left, and Jim Gallucci, right, and the young people also served coffee and cake during an intermission. — Contributed

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