Holiday tree lighting brightens night on base

  • Published
  • By Tara Dixon Engel
  • Skywrighter Staff
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The spirit of the season was out in force the night of Dec. 3 
-- Air Force, that is.

Children and adults alike feasted on cookies and hot chocolate at the Wright-Patt Club as they gathered for the Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony and the arrival of the jolly old elf himself.

Bunched together in the evening chill, youngsters whispered, giggled and pointed in awe as two elves and a grin-ch made their way through the crowd in preparation for the formal ceremony that kicks off holiday festivities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

"This celebration is a group effort between the Community Services Flight and the Wright-Patt Club, as well as the Fire Department, which provides the transportation for Santa," said Kelly Porter, a marketing assistant with the 88th Force Support Squadron.

Porter noted that four sponsors helped to make the event possible.

"First Command provides the lights for the tree, and Sam's Club donated cookies, cupcakes and candies," she said. "And USAA and Wright-Patt Credit Union always support us. They all help to make this happen, and we are very grateful."

Shortly after 5:30 p.m., the assembled crowd made its way outside and listened as Col. John Devillier, 88th Air Base Wing commander, announced the winners of the holiday card contest on base.

"We had some great entries this year," Devillier said. "The third-place winner was the WPAFB Junior Force Council. Second-place winner was one of the agencies who help set this up today, the 88th Civil Engineer Group.

"When you see the winner's card, it really fits what this organization does. So would the 88th ABW Safety Office raise your hand. Congratulations! All the cards were great, but yours really hit the mark because of what you guys do. It sent a great message," Devillier said.

The colonel went on to summarize the plot of the holiday classic "It's a Wonderful Life," which focuses on the seemingly unremarkable life of George Bailey, a small-town businessman who always manages to fall just short of achieving his dreams, until he is given the opportunity to see what the world would have been like if he had never been born.

"He had no idea how many lives he had touched, until he was given a second chance and   an opportunity to see how the world was changed because of him. The moral of the story is, despite all the challenges we face, whether through family, friends or co-workers, we touch lives in ways that we may never realize. And, no matter how poor we may think we are, we are actually   very rich because of the people whose lives we have changed," Devillier said. "And, like George Bailey, I think we would be very surprised by the number of people who would come out to help us in a time of need. So, by lighting this tree tonight, it is really emblematic of the renewal and the spirit of this holiday season, and of the lives we have touched ... and that is the spirit of the holiday season."

Devillier asked the crowd to count down, and as the group hit "one," the towering fir tree outside the Wright-Patt Club cut the darkness with a blaze of colorful lights.

A group of youngsters serenaded the celebrants with holiday classics, such as "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Jingle Bells."

An excited murmur spread through the crowd as a base fire truck rolled to a stop in front of the club and dropped off Santa and Mrs. Claus, who greeted youngsters on the sidewalk before heading into the club for photos and an opportunity to meet the children one-on-one and hear their Christmas wishes for 2014