December 9, 2015
MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — The city’s 33rd Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony sponsored by Vineyard Park, attracted a crowd of over 700 Mountlake Terrace residents and visitors. Participants enjoyed balmy temperatures in the 40’s as they sang carols to usher in the holiday spirit on Friday evening.
The event featured the Mountlake Terrace Elementary and Terrace Park School Choirs singing carols, a water tower tree lighting, along with a unique visit from Santa, who made his grand entrance on a Snohomish Fire District 1 Fire Truck. Santa stayed and met with the children while parents took photos and visited with neighbors. A dedicated group of Tour de Terrace volunteers was on hand to serve cookies, hot coffee, and cocoa.
Choir member Emmalynn Kuenning switched on the lights from a special remote control switch located at Evergreen Playfield to the “tree” which is located on top of the city’s water tower and visible for miles around. The enormous "tree" is actually a frame constructed of over 1,800 blue and green lights. The LED lights use only 25% of the power as the old lights while containing twice as many lights.
Almost $300 in cash donations were collected for the Michelle Ringler Recreation Scholarship Fund and the Manu Sood Mountlake Terrace Arts Commission Scholarship. Since 2002, the Recreation Fund has helped over 400 children register for recreation programs at the Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion. The Manu Sood scholarship supports an annual scholarship targeted for arts students at Mountlake Terrace High School.
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