Municipal Christmas trees were traditionally lit Monday evening in Richmond County’s three smallest towns.
All three towns ― Dobbins Heights, Hoffman and Norman ― held their ceremonies at 6 p.m.
Dobbins Heights Mayor Pro Tem Tyre Holloway welcomed the small crowd ― which included his wife, Mayor Antonio Blue, Councilwoman Revonna Magee and Hamlet Councilman Maurice Stuart ― to the event in front of Town Hall.
“Thank you all for coming out and allowing us to get into the spirit,” Holloway said. “It’s been a rough year, but thankfully it’s culminated into a nice holiday season. Hopefully it’ll be a prosperous season going into the next year.
Holloway added that there were a lot of things to “reflect and be thankful of.”
Following a short but passionate prayer from Cheryl Streeter, Holloway led the gathered group in the first verse of “Silent Night” and then counted down from five for the lighting of the tree.
“Let there be light,” Holloway said as the tree was plugged in by a deputy with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
The tree, a 12-foot cedar from Lindsey’s Christmas Tree Lot, is decorated with blue and gold balls, white lights and a star that alternates blue and white.
About 12 miles up the road, Hoffman town officials and residents ― with special guests Sheriff Mark Gulledge and Santa and Mrs. Claus ― gathered to light their town’s tree.
Mayor Tommy Hart welcomed everyone, introduced the other council members and thanked the residents for their votes last month.
“This here, tonight, shows that the Hoffman community really cares about our future and heading in the right direction,” Gulledge said, before Hart and the Clauses lit the tree, which was mounted on a platform atop a light pole.
Charlie Melvin – Richmond Observer
About a dozen residents attended the ceremony in Norman, the county’s northernmost town, according to Mayor Tonia Collins.
That town’s tree is a six-foot cedar, Collins said.
Refreshments were available at all three events.
Contributed photo
Other tree lightings across the county took place last week: Hamlet on Monday; Rockingham on Tuesday; and Ellerbe on Friday. (See the RO’s Facebook page for photos from Rockingham and Ellerbe.)
On Saturday, the Hamlet Fire Department and Richmond Service League welcomed more than 120 kids and their families to the 25th annual Breakfast with Santa. Proceeds from the event are used to purchase donations for Toys for Tots.
But that’s not all the holiday celebrations scheduled this month.
Hamlet still has two more holiday events on the schedule: the Christmas Parade of Lights at 6 p.m. Dec. 9; and Olde Fashioned Christmas on Hamlet Avenue, slated for 4-7 p.m. on Dec. 11.
Dobbins Heights is also sponsoring sleigh rides for families from 3-5 p.m. Dec. 21.
The Richmond County Tourism Development Authority has compiled a list of other seasonal events across the county over the next month. (See below.)
