Print |
E-mail to a friend
NEWS
Kenova tree lighting signifies lost loved ones
The third annual City of Kenova Memorial Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony was held on Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, in Kenova.
KENOVA -- Charlotte Webb of Kenova was having trouble coping with the death of her son, Michael, during the holiday season after he died in a tragic car accident in July 2005.
What came out of Webb's search to lessen her grief was the annual memorial Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Kenova. On Monday, Webb was joined by family and friends to remember her son and hundreds of other Kenova residents who have passed away.
"Since I was struggling with Christmas, I knew there were other people who were also struggling," Webb said. "Now everyone comes out together in recognition of the ones we've lost."
The third annual lighting ceremony started at the Kenova United Methodist Church, where the names of several hundred people were read. Those who wanted names of loved ones to be read donated $5 to the city's Beautification Committee, something Webb suggested from the beginning.
Mayor Ric Griffith said he money raised from the ceremony directly goes toward beautification projects or to make improvements to the decorations used to light the ceremonial tree.
More than $2,000 was raised from this year's ceremony, Griffith said. Though the money hasn't been slated for a specific project, Griffith said the city is considering overhauling the city's welcome sign.
More than 70 people attended the name-reading portion of the ceremony. A candle was passed around the church in remembrance of those who passed away. The Ceredo-Kenova Alumni Band performed "Silent Night" while the candles were lit.
Those in attendance walked from the church to the Kenova Post Office, located at 14th and Chestnut streets, where the 32-foot-tall Fraser fir stands. It took the Kenova Volunteer Fire Department more than 24 hours to hang all 14,100 lights on the tree, Griffith said.
"This is very heart warming," Webb said after the switch was flipped and the lights turned on.
Griffith said most people won't know the significance of the tree, but for those who use it as a symbol of their lost loved ones, the meaning is very important.
"Thousands will pass the tree in the next month and think it's just a Christmas tree," Griffith said as he began to cry. "But through the loving suggestion of Charlotte, it's much more than that."
