Tree lighting tradition builds in Kettle River

Ma & Pa Kettle Days, with strong support from the Kettle River area, organized the third annual Christmas tree lighting last weekend with a crowded Veterans Building as the site of a Christmas bazaar.

This year the community Christmas tree location was moved to the front of the Vets Building just in front of the flagpole. The white spruce was donated by the Butkiewicz Family Farm in Split Rock Township. Twenty-plus feet in height, the tree was cut, hauled in, and put up with lights and star by a team which included Dan Reed, Britt Sarvela, Wayne Gulso, Tim Taylor, Carl Lingle and Mark Tollgaard.

"That's a lot of tree to lift into the sky using only manpower," observed Reed. "It seems each year the tree is of a different size and height, and each year has different issues to solve."

High winds this last snowstorm tipped the tree on an angle, leaning it against the Vets Building. The tree was centered again and Dave Isaacson of city maintenance piled snow at its base while clearing the streets and sidewalks. Many attending the event hope that by next year a permanent base will be installed at the new site for the tree.

Two thousand LED lights cover the tree. The new lights were donated by Howard Eskuri and Randy Sarvela.

Santa Claus, made possible by Deane Rengo of Automba, listened to each and every child and their dreams of Christmas to come. One boy hung around Santa most of the evening and said that Santa was "his newest and best friend."

More than 15 vendors came to help the locals do their Christmas shopping. One of the vendors said they had been at many venues and the Kettle River event was special and their favorite. The vendor said the community came out, and after checking out all the tables, stayed, had coffee or hot chocolate, and visited, brimming with a strong and caring community spirit.

Mary Sanders and Marcia Sarvela took the lead, putting in many hours.

The Kettle River Community Christmas Tree will stay up most of the winter to light up those snowy, cold winter evenings. This marks the start of a new century for the Town of Kettle River. The town was incorporated 100 years ago.