One talented Mason fifth-grade student helped the 2017 Mason Citizen of the Year Colleen Briggs give the order to light Mason’s Big Tree in front of the Ingham County Courthouse during the Mason Holiday Celebrations on Friday, November 24, 2017. Izabelle Mitchell from Lisa Castle’s fifth grade class at Alaiedon Elementary School was chosen as the winner of the Tree Lighting Poster Contest and was awarded a major role in kicking off the holiday season in Mason.
The Mason Area Chamber of Commerce’s fourth annual Tree Lighting Poster Contest Committee asked fifth grade students at Alaiedon, North Aurelius, and Steele Street elementary schools to create posters of lighting a Christmas tree. Homeschoolers were also invited.
Votes for the poster contest were collected through monetary contributions from people throughout the Mason community. Posters entered in the contest were displayed in local businesses throughout Mason. Izabelle’s poster was displayed at the CADL Mason Library.
Along with winning the poster contest, Izabelle had the honor of helping to light the Big Tree with 2017 Mason Citizen of the Year Colleen Briggs at 6:20 p.m. in front of the Ingham County Courthouse. Following the ceremony, the seventeenth annual Mason Holiday Celebration lighted parade kicked off at Bond Park and made its way around the downtown. Over 30 units participated, and the crowd attending was the largest ever, probably due to warmer than usual weather.
The poster contest raised over $700 in contributions that, along with proceeds of the annual MACC Raffles, will go toward the cost of Christmas lights and decorations and to putting lights on the tree in November and taking them down in January. Getting the lights on and off the tree is done by MACC member Express Tree Services.
The Mason Area Chamber of Commerce’s Holidays Celebration committee made up of many community volunteers. “We would like to thank all of our sponsors, volunteers, partners, participants, and the Mason community as a whole for making our Mason Holidays Celebration not only a success, but a very special event,” said MACC program assistant Emily Fenger.
“Special thanks go to the presenting sponsor Dart Container Corporation, members of the American Legion Post 148, and our event sponsors CP Federal Credit Union and MSU Federal Credit Union. We also thank our partners: Ingham County Facilities, Mason Area Historical Society, Mason A&W Restaurant, Mason First United Methodist Church, Mason Firefighters Association, Mason Girl Scouts, Mason Optimist Club, Supreme Rental, Granger, and the City of Mason’s police, fire, public works, and administration departments.”
“We also want to thank the 2017 Mason Citizen of the Year Colleen Briggs, City of Mason Mayor Russ Whipple, and especially the Mason High School Santa Band directed by Beth Bousfield,” Fenger added.
Participants in the seventeenth annual lighted parade included the following Mason Chamber members not already mentioned above: ServiceMaster Absolute, Ingham County Road Department, Benedict Auto Body, Byrum Builders, Capital Area District Libraries, Mason Masonic Lodge, Two Men and a Truck, Mason Rotary Club, and Mason Public Schools Transportation.
The Mason Holidays Celebration committee is looking for help in planning the 2018 Mason Holidays Celebration that will be held on Friday, November 23, 2018. Call the Chamber office at 517-676-1046 or email the Chamber at masonchamber@masonchamber.org to sign up and volunteer.
SOURCE: PRESS RELEASE
