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<p>ASHLEY &#8212; According to the 2003 Christmas movie <em>Elf</em>, &#8220;the best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.&#8221; And spreading Christmas cheer is exactly what the members of St. Leo&#8217;s/Holy Rosary Church did in some Ashley and Hanover Township neighborhoods Sunday night.</p><p>A handful of carolers walked around the streets surrounding the church singing songs such as &#8220;Jingle Bell Rock&#8221; and &#8220;O Little Town of Bethlehem.&#8221;</p><p>The local tradition has been going on for eight years, according to choir member Lynn Cole, of Ashley.</p><p>They started singing &#8220;Silent Night&#8221; on the steps of the church, 33 Manhattan St. From there, the St. Leo&#8217;s/Holy Rosary choir director, Bob Passetti, took them around the community. The younger members of the group, including 9-year-old Ashley resident Christopher Durko, took turns knocking on doors to alert homeowners they were outside.</p><p>&#8220;I enjoy putting people in the spirit of Christmas,&#8221; Durko said.</p><p>Residents such as Brian and Lisa Casey stopped what they were doing to come outside in the frigid temperature &#8212; National Weather Service reported 31 degrees &#8212; to listen.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s been colder,&#8221; Brian admitted. He was watching the Pittsburgh Steelers game in his Manhattan Street home when the knock on the door came. He quickly called to his wife, Lisa, who was decorating the tree, to come outside as well.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s always good,&#8221; Lisa said.</p><p>Kathleen Galardi, of West Hartford Street, Ashley, was in her kitchen making lasagna rolls when she heard the carolers serenading her from outside with &#8220;Angels We Have Heard on High.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s beautiful,&#8221; Galardi said. &#8220;They come around every year.&#8221;</p><p>Some drivers, who passed the group on the street, slowed down and beeped. One woman even yelled out her car window, &#8220;that&#8217;s wonderful.&#8221;</p><p>The biggest crowd for the group came around the end. A group of 10, who were making ravioli for Christmas inside a Mary Street home, heard the carolers down the street and meandered outside on the porch as the choristers sang renditions of &#8220;Suzy Snowflake&#8221; and &#8220;We Wish You A Merry Christmas.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;The cold weather would deter me,&#8221; Mary Jo Deno, who was on the porch, admitted. &#8220;(The carolers have) dedication.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;Let There Be Peace on Earth&#8221; was the group&#8217;s closing song before they headed back to the church hall to warm up and end their evening with a post-event party.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Kathleen Galardi, of West Hartford Street, Ashley, steps onto her front porch to listen to Christmas carolers from St. Leo&#8217;s/Holy Rosary Church on Sunday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL122115car0ling_2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Kathleen Galardi, of West Hartford Street, Ashley, steps onto her front porch to listen to Christmas carolers from St. Leo&#8217;s/Holy Rosary Church on Sunday night. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL122115caroling_1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">About a dozen carolers sing &#8216;Silent Night&#8217; on the steps of St. Leo&#8217;s/Holy Rosary Church, Ashley, before departing for a walk through the neighborhood on Sunday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL122115caroling_1-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>About a dozen carolers sing &#8216;Silent Night&#8217; on the steps of St. Leo&#8217;s/Holy Rosary Church, Ashley, before departing for a walk through the neighborhood on Sunday night. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL122115caroling_3-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Carolers Fran Spencer, of Nanticoke, left, Lynn Cole, of Ashley, sing with St. Leo&#8217;s/Holy Rosary choir director Bob Passetti, of Glen Lyon, on the streets of Ashley Sunday night. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL122115caroling_3-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Carolers Fran Spencer, of Nanticoke, left, Lynn Cole, of Ashley, sing with St. Leo&#8217;s/Holy Rosary choir director Bob Passetti, of Glen Lyon, on the streets of Ashley Sunday night. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Ashley church brightens community’s spirits by caroling around town