Festival of Trees

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November 21, 2009

Annual holiday decoration showcase now at The Center

By HEATHER PYLES, CJ Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Sat Nov 21, 2009, 07:05 PM EST

How are you decorating your Christmas tree this year?

If you’re not sure, perhaps you could gain a bit of inspiration from the more than 40 trees expected to be shown during the Third Annual Festival of Trees, sponsored by the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce.

The popular event, known for its whimsically-decorated Christmas trees, which are up for bidding at the end of the festival, has been moved to the Center for Rural Development this year.

“It was kind of a challenge to do it the biggest and best we can,” said Jack Keeney, chamber president.

The Center is definitely much more spacious than the festival’s location the prior two years — the Bastin’s Steakhouse building, which was recently torn down. A Culver’s restaurant now stands in its place.

Because of the extra room, the festival is slated to feature some additional displays alongside the ever-popular trees.

“We’ve just got a lot of things going on,” Keeney said.

Keeney said a large playhouse — think 21 feet by 9 feet — will be available for auction. The playhouse, donated by builder Rollin Wiggington, fetches a $5,000 price tag, Keeney said.

Along with that, numerous community choirs are expected to sing everyone’s favorite Christmas songs during the four-day festival.

And you can’t forget the gingerbread houses. A gingerbread village was first displayed during last year’s festival, but this year the attraction will feature numerous versions of the holiday staple. 100 gingerbread house kits will be transformed into the sugary, colorful structures.

Alongside those houses will be some 500 milk carton gingerbread houses made by local school children. The cartons were donated by Southern Belle. Around 20 3-ft.-tall gingerbread men and women donated by Cumberland Mill Works for local students to decorate will also be featured.

Add to that the between five and eight large custom-made gingerbread houses donated by local bakers, and visitors will be treated to a panacea of gingerbread.

Keeney said the festival will also feature more than 12 decorated wreaths, along with six fireplace scenes donated by Cumberland Mill Works and decorated by local businesses, and table toppers will also be on display.

A feast for the eyes can be expected for every visitor, but the festival’s namesake won’t disappoint either. Keeney said this year, trees were donated to each school for decoration — and he said nearly every theme imaginable is expressed.

This year, Lowe’s has decorated what’s been dubbed the “man tree” — complete with saws, bolts, screws and anything else that may be included in the masculine repertoire. On the flip side, local jewelry stores have decorated a “woman tree” for display.

Keeney said local attorneys have decided to include a tree, titled “Just the Bear Facts,” with each participant’s picture placed with a bear ornament.

The trees, playhouse and other attractions will be up for bidding by silent auction on the last day of the festival.

While the adults take in the season’s trimmings, Keeney said a children’s play area will be available, which includes a mailbox specifically for letters to Santa.

And the Jolly Old Elf himself is expected to make appearances throughout the festival, but Keeney said his busy schedule makes it difficult to know just when he’ll be in town.

The Third Annual Festival of Trees is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 27 through Monday, Nov. 30 at The Center for Rural Development. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for kids ages six through 17, and children under five years old get in free. A $10 family pass is also available.

Seniors 55 and older are eligible to enter the festival on Monday, Nov. 30 for only $1 for the “Senior Stroll.”

Visitors are also encouraged to bring a food item with them for God’s Food Pantry.

“We’re looking forward to a fun time,” Keeney said.

Other holiday events are taking place soon as well.

On Saturday, Nov. 28, the City of Science Hill will have its Second Annual Christmas Tree Lighting.

“We had a big crowd last year, or so we thought we did for the first year,” said Science Hill Mayor Bill Dick.

Church groups from the area will be on hand for performances throughout the day, and the Science Hill garden Club will provide refreshments. Dick said the Science Hill Fire Department will also have chili for visitors, adding that donations to the department will be appreciated.

Dick said Santa Claus will also be on-hand for the kids.

The lighting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 28.

On Saturday, Dec. 5, the Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade will be held in downtown Somerset. This year’s theme is “A Dog-gone Purr-fect Christmas,” and Keeney said anyone interested in participating can contact the chamber at 679-7323.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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