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Santa flies into Lacey in time for tree-lighting

BY CHRISTIAN HILL | THE OLYMPIAN • Published December 05, 2008

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LACEY – The city kicked off the holiday season Thursday with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree at Huntamer Park.

Photo Gallery:

Lacey annual Tree Lighting

Upcoming events

The following holiday events are planned for today in South Sound. For a list of upcoming events, see the Weekend section in Thursday's paper or go to http://calendar. theolympian.com and click "Holiday."

• The Signing Santa: 6:30 to 9 p.m., Mountain View Elementary, 1900 College St. S.E., Lacey. The event will "give hearing- impaired children a chance to communicate Christmas wishes to a Santa who speaks their language." 360-491-0857 or www. signingsanta.org.

• The Olympia Jazz Senators perform Duke Ellington's "Nutcracker," an original Hanukkah medley and Christmas classics: 7 p.m., Minnaert Center for the Arts, 2011 Mottman Road S.W., Olympia. A benefit for Interfaith Works. $20 general, $15 low-income. 360-357-7224.

About 500 people gathered to sip hot cocoa, listen to carols sung by a choir from Komachin Middle School and watched the tree burst into festive color after Parks and Recreation Director Jim Sheler pulled the candy cane lever lighting the main tree, as well as five others.

Amy Luken of Lacey said she has attended the ceremony since she was a little girl. This year, she brought her 4-year-old twin daughters, Juliana and Haley.

“It’s a nice tradition for our family to join with other families.”

Planned retirement

At the ceremony, Mayor Graeme Sackrison announced that Sheler will retire next year.

“We owe a great deal of gratitude to Jim,” Sackrison said.

It’s the 16th year the city has organized the event. The event had been held at the city-owned West Plaza Park near the Fred Meyer shopping center but was moved to the park last year.

As always, Santa Claus and his “elves” — firefighters from the Lacey Fire District — arrived on an antique fire truck. Children talked with Santa and received candy canes.

New this year was an animated holiday display.