Tree lighting unites local city

Nick Chormanski, Guest Writer

When a city faces economic, social, and political issues a city comes together and unites.

Mayor Welo and Santa Claus lit the S. Euclid Christmas tree. Photo by Nick Chormanski.

On Sunday, Dec. 4, Mayor Georgine Welo of South Euclid and her team of planners, event coordinators, and a group of volunteers held a tree lighting service to brighten the holidays and for the city to come together.

The event brought joy to the people there, a women’s choir caroling, food and drinks, and even Santa Claus and his reindeer came to town to spread holiday cheer. Mayor Welo believes that coming together and standing together as one is important to the city which is what the city stands for.

“This tree lighting event is so important for the city of South Euclid because it’s a time of all the residents no matter what religion, race they come together, they sing Hanukkah songs,and they have tree lining. It has the fellowship because that is what makes South Euclid so special is the people that live and the neighbors that all know each other and so that’s why we love having these events,” Welo said

“Come Together and Thrive” is what South Euclid stands on and also what their sign says too.

But this event doesn’t just happen either. The Mayor and her planners and event coordinators need support from organizations and volunteers. Michael Love, the head of the coordinators for the event, made it all possible to gather volunteers and organizations. “Giant Eagle did a donation of firewood and also the water. We also got a donation of brownies and treats from Culinary Occasions, a bakery in South Euclid,” Love said.

Also putting on this event was going to be easy. “The most challenging part was that because we have a small budget, so we had to make sure that it’s promoted and the word get out about the event. But we use social media to do that, so for residents who aren’t adaptive to social media, we try the best to get the word out to everyone,” Love said.

One of the biggest parts was to get Santa Claus to help spread holiday cheer to everyone but especially to the children. Love said of Santa Claus, “Well he’s employed by the city, so he is doing it as a ‘gift for us,’ to come out and play Santa for us at the lighting ceremony.”

But the tree lighting event isn’t the only the event that brings the city together. Welo said, “We always kick off Memorial Day Weekend with our big Memorial Day parade, we have our Rock The Block which we close down an area of Mayfield and Green and that’s really become a signature event so that people can just stroll up and down Mayfield road with different church organizations, entertainment, and food. We try to do eight events through the year so that the neighbors can meet each other”.

Keeping the city involved in various events makes the city be able to come together.

Jennifer Tournoux has witnessed the tree lighting ceremony in Lakewood, and believes that a city coming together no matter what is important. “I have lived quite some time in a small city in Lakewood and they too had a big tree lighting ceremony. Over the years it has gotten bigger and bigger and my family really looked forward to it because it was such a secure sense of community. It’s just a great demonstration of how people can come together and bring support,” Tournoux said.

When talking to Santa Claus, who has a passion to make kids smile, loves the idea to give back to a community and giving support to the city of South Euclid. “Coming to these events is special to me because I love to see kids smile and giving them a sense of safety,” Claus said.

By the end of the night Mayor Welo and Santa Claus launched the event by lighting the tree and followed up by taking pictures with Santa Claus.

The event concluded by making the city come together. “For us having the events lets everybody know that the reason that they live in South Euclid is the same reason everyone chooses to live here and that’s why we love having these events,” Welo said.