November 8, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
Names are needed now to honor and remember loved ones for the American Cancer Society’s “Love Lights A Tree” display board in time for the Smithville Christmas Parade and Christmas on the Square Saturday, December 7. “Love Lights a Tree” has been a fixture during the Christmas and New Year holidays downtown for many years.
This year the “Love Lights a Tree” board is getting a facelift as a community project of students in the agriculture program at DCHS according to CTE Director Brad Leach. These students will be repainting, lining the board, and using paint markers to display the names. The students will then place the board on the south grounds of the courthouse.
Spokesperson Ivadell Randolph said she appreciates the help from the students and others
“This gives these young people at the school a purpose to help their community. I am so happy they have agreed to do this again this year. They helped some last year and the year before. We just wanted to start earlier this year. The names of the ones on the board that we are remembering are in black and the names of those we are honoring will be in red. All of the names we can get together before the time of the board to be erected will be put on the board and it will be there for parade day. We are really trying to get a large number of names on the board. You have been so gracious over the years to help us remember a loved one or friend that has passed away from cancer or maybe not. We want to honor or remember everyone regardless of the circumstances. Forms are available at the banks in the city at Region’s Bank, FirstBank, Wilson Bank & Trust and Liberty State Bank. We will continue to update the board as needed,” said Randolph.
For a $5.00 donation to the DeKalb County Unit of the American Cancer Society you can have a name placed on the display board. You can either remember a friend or loved one lost to cancer or for any other reason. You may also honor someone still living including those who have struggled with cancer.
For more information call Melanie Judkins at 615-464-7664, Nancy Young at 615-785-3496, Renea Cantrell at 615-684-2688, Gail Taylor at 615-597-5936 or Iva Dell Randolph at 615-464-8129.