When Alicia Ferrari moved to Wrightsville from Lancaster in 2020, she felt isolated.

"It was mid-pandemic, I was a new mom, a stay-at-home mom, and I didn't know anyone in town," she recalled. "So, like many people do, I turned to Facebook, hoping to find some moms' groups."

She discovered a need for positive community connections. "I took it upon myself to create a page for people who live in Wrightsville and are committed to volunteering and helping each other and just providing service to their neighbors in any way they can," she said. She named the page "Wrightsville for All," and it took off.

To date, more than 740 people have joined, with that number rising almost daily, said Sara Barrett, who joined Ferrari in promoting the group soon after it started. Even though the women lived just four blocks apart, they didn't know each other prior to joining forces with Wrightsville for All.

With the new organization, they have spearheaded community projects such as road cleanups and donations to local nonprofits, and they've partnered with Wrightsville Presbyterian Church to host community events.

"We're all about gauging the community's interest in ways to better Wrightsville," Ferrari stated. "We're not trying to change anything. We're just trying to improve what's here."

Currently, members of Wrightsville for All are gearing up for the Christmas season by restoring holiday decorations in town. Many of the pieces date to the 1970s and have seen better days, but the group learned that the borough has no funds to purchase decorations, Barrett said, noting that estimates averaged about $50,000 to buy all new items.

The group members began fundraising for the project, asking for donations from community members and organizations and receiving funds through donation boxes at Wrightsville businesses and via a GoFundMe page.

So far, the group has been able to purchase new LED lights and garland as well as a tree topper for the Christmas tree that will be decorated in the square on Fourth Street.

The decorations will be mounted on telephone poles along Hellam Street a few days before Thanksgiving, and the Christmas tree lighting will be hosted by the Rotary Club of Eastern York County at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 26.

Ferrari said that a committee of volunteers has worked hard to restore the decorations, and she's excited about what the future holds for Wrightsville for All. "We are actively planning several community events to be held over the winter months," she said, noting that these events include trivia and board game nights, a movie night, a maker's market and family-focused health and wellness programs such as yoga.

"We love partnering with other groups and organizations in the community," Barrett said. "If there are other organizations looking to make things happen in Wrightsville and they could use support, we would love to hear from them."

For more information, search for "Wrightsville for All" on Facebook or email wfa17368@yahoo.com.