CLARION BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — Clarion began the holiday season in earnest with the lighting of the Christmas trees in Veteran Memorial Park on Monday.
(Photos by: Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media)
Clarion County Commissioner Ed Heasley told exploreClarion.com there were lots of individuals and local businesses involved in procuring this year’s tree.
“There was quite a group involved in this effort, and we appreciate that,” Heasley noted.
It all began with Howard Schmader, of Tri County Homes, Inc., contacting an engineering firm to get a design drawing for a new base for the tree in the park. Next, he brought on Sam Wilson, of Wilson Tree Service, for the removal of two trees and Rick Staley, of Eagle Contracting, to remove the stumps and excavate the hole. Mike Hindman and Braun Gourley, of M&B Services, then poured the concrete and Staley went back in to backfill around it.
Terry Kahle, of Terry W. Kahle Equipment, in Knox, picked up the tree, which was donated by C&A Trees, of Clarion, and delivered it to the park where Jeff Corcetti, of 1 Pro Services, used a crane to put it into place, with assistance from county employees.
“We’d really like to give a big thank you to the county employees from the courthouse who helped,” Schmader noted.
Once the tree was all set in place, members of the VFW and American Legion Auxiliary groups took on the task of decorating it.
After the holiday season, when the tree is removed, the new tree base will be covered by a plate that is being fabricated by Chuck Schwab, of Unique Fabrications, Inc.
“This was all put together pretty quickly,” Commissioner Ted Tharan noted.
“The old tree had become kind of a Charlie Brown tree with a lot of the branches missing, and it was hard to decorate. But now each near we can get a different tree, which will be nice.”
Along with the large tree, Veterans Memorial Park is also playing host to a range of other Christmas trees this year, as well.
According to Tracy Becker, Executive Director of the Clarion Area Chamber of Business & Industry, the chamber and many others in Clarion, including the Destination: Clarion Downtown, other local business owners, the county commissioners, and borough officials all wanted to make this year’s Christmas special after the COVID-19 pandemic left so much of a shadow over the holiday season last year.
“Everyone wanted to bring Christmas back even better than before,” Becker explained.
The chamber then began a program for the sponsorship of additional trees to be set up in Veterans Memorial Park, and the response was more than they expected.
“When we thought of the project, we were hoping for six or maybe eight trees, but we ended up with 11.”
The following businesses and organizations participated in either sponsoring, donating, or decorating a tree for the Veterans Memorial Park Christmas program:
– Sponsored and decorated by the US Postal Service,
– Donated by the Reep family and decorated by the YMCA Younger Years program,
– Sponsored by Husted’s Plumbing and Heating and decorated by Tri-County Animal Rescue,
– Sponsored and decorated by H&R Block,
– Sponsored by George’s Barbershop and decorated by the Clarion University Swimming and Diving Team, — Sponsored by Eagle Contracting and decorated by Countryside Chiropractic,
– Sponsored by the Fulmer House and decorated by the Clarion Service Unit Girl Scouts,
– Sponsored and decorated by Computer Support,
– Sponsored and decorated by Clarview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center & Country Springs Personal Care,
– Sponsored by Ann and Doug Dolby and decorated by the Clarion Bible Fellowship, and
– Sponsored and decorated by the Clarion Chamber of Business and Industry.
Becker noted the chamber also gave a dozen wreaths to the county for decoration of the courthouse.
According to Tharan, those wreaths, along with candle lights, were placed for light up tonight, as well.
Along with the wreaths for the courthouse, there are also wreaths on Main Street at the intersections of 5th, 6th, and 7th Avenue that were purchased with money raised by Destination: Clarion Downtown, although lights for those wreaths will not be ready in time for Monday night’s event due to COVID-related supply issues.
Overall, with so many people pulling together, the holiday season is shaping up to be a bright one in Clarion.
“This will be something that can grow for years to come,” Becker said.
“Maybe next year we can fill half the park with trees!”
There are also more festivities to come, with the chamber’s new Ugly Sweater Parade set for Saturday, December 4.
According to Becker, the chamber already has 23 units signed up for the parade and more showing interest, ranging from marching bands, choirs, and floats, to drill and dance teams, and other groups.
The lineup will begin at 5:00 p.m. on December 4 with the parade stepping off at 5:30 p.m.
After the parade, Santa will be at the gazebo in Veterans Memorial Park, and cookies, hot chocolate, and chocolate milk will be available there, as well.
