A group of friends sat around a dining table in 2008, wondering what they could do to make Buffalo a better place to live.

Their brainstorming session led to the formation of B Team Buffalo and a signature project in which volunteers decorate a different neighborhood each Christmas season.

They called their effort City of Light, titled after the critically acclaimed book of the same name that takes place in Buffalo at the time of the Pan-American Exposition, when the city was a leading center of commerce.

Now in its fourth year, the B Team Buffalo project is going strong.

On a cold but bright day, the annual City of Light project attracted some 60 volunteers Sunday to the neighborhood surrounding Riverside United Methodist Church at Ontario and Tonawanda streets.

Workers made their way to about 40 homes to hang lights, garlands and wreaths. Residents welcomed them.

“This is what the holiday is all about. Strangers coming together,” said Angel Roman of Copeland Place.

He and his wife, Mirely, usually decorate their house themselves, but took up the B Team Buffalo offer because they liked the concept.

“We hope we can be part of this in the future,” said Mirely.

Residents get to keep the decorations.

In addition, B Team Buffalo organized a carnival in the church that was open to residents in the neighborhood that featured arts and crafts, photos with Santa, toys for children, and breakfast and dinner.

“The six or seven of us that started B Team Buffalo all had different motivations, but what we shared in common is a desire to make Buffalo a place people want to stay,” said Matt Carlucci, chairman of the organization.

One of the founders had recently read Lauren Belfer’s 1999 book, “City of Light,” and it sparked their idea.

“We wanted to do something big and dynamic to bring back that ‘city of light’ feel, and decided to light up a neighborhood,” he said.

It was a rough start, as the fledgling group held the first City of Light on a frigid day when the temperature dropped to 7 degrees.

But they persevered. “We’re a bunch of young professionals who all live here and want to stay here,” said Elizabeth Callahan, vice chairwoman.

“This year, there is a personal connection for me,” she said. “I grew up in the Riverside neighborhood.”

Carlucci said B Team Buffalo surveys the neighborhoods it chooses, obtaining permission from residents who want holiday decorations. Volunteers started working around 8 a. m. and stayed out until dusk.

“It’s the holiday season, and it’s exciting to be part of what they’re doing,” said Mirely Roman.

In addition to City of Light, B Team Buffalo has also conducted a cleanup of Doat Street, assisted with the National Buffalo Wing Festival, and provided volunteers for the Olmsted Party for the Parks.

hdavis@buffnews.comnull