Happy Camp town is all Lit UP!!!
All week the children have been looking forward to a talk with the man with white whiskers in the red suit. Friday was the annual Community Tree Lighting.
The Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce usually puts on this event each year and this year, in a great show of community unity, the Outdoor Club stepped forward and offered to help. Chamber president, Cathleen Searle, was busy printing the fliers and busily collecting oranges from Double J, cider from Raley’s, candy canes from Rays. Frontier Café and the Pizza House had specials so families who had little time before the Tree lighting could grab a quick supper . Doreen Mitchell and Nadine McElyea were busy popping the popcorn which smelled tantalizingl It was a very cold evening!
Instead of the caroling there was a very special song! David Arwood is one of the teachers of the Karuk Language and Culture Class at Happy Camp High School. The kids were spending all of class time this week learning “Winter Night Song.” Silent Night translated “ikxaram uskaaxti” winter night, “ishyav ikzdrum.” The song continues to picture a bright warm fire on a dark winter night when stories are told of long ago which help us to learn and grow. This Winter Night Song is sung to the tune of Silent Night. It was translated into Karuk by Auntie Violet Super and Sarah Supahan with help from Bill Bright. It was a most enjoyable musical addition to the evening!
The new lights that had been donated made a beautiful tree. At the top was a large star. It reminded me of a year George Chambers made a star for the top of the tree. When you drive down Highway 96 through Happy Camp the tree and the star is certain to be a bright sight on a cold winter night! Once the lights were lit, Santa Claus arrived in a red fire truck. He was greeted by cheerful children all running to hug him! He made it to a chair where he presided over the rest of the evenings events. Eileen Tiraterra deserves special appreciation as the elf that stood by Santa’s side and kept him supplied with candy canes and oranges for the kids.
Thanks to the Happy Camp Chamber and the Outdoor Club who showed community unity by jointly putting on this annual event for the children. The Forest Service keeps the tree lit. Thanks for the elves who served refreshments. To all those who donated and hung the lights and star, drove the fire truck, sang and served refreshments, the cleanup crew, and everyone else who helped—a big THANK YOU!