The article is only available online to subscribers... the gist: A local named Michelle takes credit for 'borrowing' the idea from NYC, saying, "I usually go to the one in New York City, but I had my sister and niece visiting from Sicily. I couldn't miss out on all that time with them, so I got really bummed, because I would miss out on an annual thing with all my friends."
The article reports that she then organized her own event, initially for just a few friends, but that snowballed pretty quickly.
Per the article:
"In keeping with the theme of the New York City event, which is a fundraiser, [she] reached out to the Franklin County Community Center and promised to donate food, even if she had to go out and buy everything herself," the article states, and notes that a pickup truck filled with non-perishable food items by early afternoon.
Last paragraph of the story: "[She] hopes that in the future all the local bars will be open early for the event, and she also wants to see it expand with carolers in the streets, like in New York City."
John M. takes exception with that caroling part.
"She calls drunks screaming snatches of Christmas songs at the top of their lungs — even in subway cars — 'carolers?'"
