In past years, the unofficial “Community Christmas Tree” was an old pine on Mission and Dewey, in front of the fire station where Sonic stands now. Unfortunately, the tree did not weather the transition between buildings well, and had to be removed.
Since then there has been a bit of a Whoville, if you will, in Sapulpa, with holes in the hearts of Sapulpans who miss having a town Christmas tree.
Suzanne Shirey and Cindy Lawrence, with The Sapulpa Chamber Foundation and Sapulpa Main Street, respectively, are partnering to raise money to purchase a 26-foot pre-lit Christmas tree to adorn the courthouse lawn.
In Shirey and Lawrence’s press release they say, “We feel this was the year to bring hope to our picturesque town, and fulfill a wish that has been a spoken dream for several years.”
They sourced an Adirondack Pine Christmas tree with multi-colored lights that can weather Oklahoma winter’s rain, sleet, and wind, and made sure that the courthouse has the room to store it during off-holiday months. District 1 Creek County Commissioner Newt Stephens confirmed at a recent Board of County Commissioners meeting that he did, in fact, have room for the tree, or that at the very least, he would make room.
After the meeting, Shirey, Stephens, and a handful of other county employees walked from the Collins Building to the Creek County Courthouse lawn to envision the tree in situ and to confirm the size.
As the fundraising letter for the tree states, “This unprecedented time of illness and uncertainty has brought anxiety and loss to many. Now, more than ever, Sapulpa needs a Christmas filled with warmth, light, community, and friendship. We need hope.”
This project is expected to be a joy for years to come and will show our community’s resiliency and hope for our future.
Shirey notes that Sapulpa’s “historic downtown has been a gathering place for many years and the addition of a tree will be a shining symbol of our heritage and also an object for making memories for our future generations.”
Donated funds will be used to purchase the tree, the bits and baubles to decorate it, and to create a customized Route 66 topper.
There will be a Lights On Ceremony on Tuesday evening, November 24th, 2020, and all are encouraged to attend.
Please call the Sapulpa Chamber at 918-224-0170 with any questions or to contribute to the tree. The hope is that every member of the community who wishes to see this tree come to fruition will donate what they can, so it truly belongs to all of us. The goal is to receive all donations by December 31st.
All donations will be tax deductible through the organizations’ 501c3.
