Base Christmas Tree lights up during ceremony Wednesday

  • Published
  • By Joe B. Wiles
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Lights on the Vance Christmas Tree will be switched on during a ceremony scheduled for 5 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 5, near the T-38 Talon display across the street from Eisenhower Elementary School on base.

"The ceremony will begin when the national anthem is played," said Chaplain (Capt.) Jon Bravinder, the organizer of the event.

Chaplain (Maj.) Randall Groves will give the invocation and then turn the ceremony over to Col. James Abatti, the 71st Operations Group commander.

"Colonel Abatti will select a child from the crowd to throw the switch to light the Christmas tree," said Bravinder. "Every child present has an equal chance to be chosen."

When the switch is thrown, more than 900 red, white and blue light-emitting diodes will turn the 25-foot pine tree into a daily reminder of the holiday season.

The Eisenhower Elementary School choir, under the direction of Nancy Dillard, will sing "Little Drummer Boy," "Deck the Halls" and "Jingle Bells."

After the singing, everyone who attends the Christmas Tree lighting is invited to the Community Chapel Activity Center, located in Building 528, for hot chocolate and cookies.

"We'll also have got some activities for the children at the CCAC," said Bravinder.

The Vance Christmas Tree will be decorated with more than 50 ornaments and 800 feet of red and silver garland, all zip-tied into place by Troy McDonald and his team from the CSC Civil Engineering Pavement and Grounds shop.

McDonald, who has been decorating the tree since 2005, said the job begin Nov. 21, and was completed Nov. 27. But the job doesn't really end until they take all the decorations down.

"We fight the wind and the cold each year putting up the lights, ornaments and garland," McDonald said. And every day, members of the team will re-attach things the wind has removed.

"Three years ago we started running a wire through the garland to help keep it on the tree," he said.

In keeping with the Air Education and Training Command's Cost Conscious Culture, the lights on the tree are LEDs, using less electricity and lasting longer. "We also use fewer extension cords now," said McDonald.