Helping light up Jasper for Christmas
By SHARON KERR

MARY JANE HANCOCK takes a week of vacation from her duties as Jasper County Treasurer to get ready for the Festival of Trees. Peace officer James Forse brought a couple of trustees to help string lights on the gazebo in front of the courthouse.

Mary Jane Hancock, Jasper County Treasurer, takes a week of her own vacation to give Santa a hand with decorating Jasper for Christmas.

"The Festival of Treesbrings a lot of attention to downtown Jasper, and it just gets bigger every year," according to Hancock.

This year there will be more than 50 trees decorated and lit on the courthouse square. Much of the decorating for individual trees is done Thanksgiving weekend, when many families re gathered.

"It gives families something they can do together, and the trees are often done in remembrance of some family member," Hancock said.

Six years ago Hancock brought the idea back for a festival of trees, and she and Quincy Martindale personally decorated a dozen trees welded by the high school shop class.

The next year, Hancock said Precinct 4 employee Toby Parker came up with a better design that's easier to store. He made 20 that year, and 20 more the next year.

Depending on the size and location, families and businesses adopt a tree for $50 to $75, which goes into the fund to buy lights for the event.

Usually each groups' "elves" wrap their lights and provide all the rest of the decorations to go on their tree, although the county will wrap the lights if requested.

"Tiny Mossberg Gonzales has done one for the last three years in remembrance of her husband Ricky, a Beaumont fireman. She goes all out," according to Hancock.

They've also had trees decorated for a policeman with papier mache badges for ornaments. For The Walk of Hope group, Hancock looks for special fuchsia colored lights.

It's not a competition, Hancock said, but a way for groups to gather and celebrate the season, memories and each other.

"We're always looking for new sponsors," Hancock said, and there are still a few trees available for adoption this year.

Trees have to be decorated by Friday, Dec. 8, at 5 p.m. for the Christmas parade and the arrival of Santa. Last week, volunteers

from the high school honor society and student council, and trustee prisoners provided by the county started early on decorations by wrapping the gazebo in lights.

For information on adopting a tree, contact Hancock at 384-2461.