Tree For Life Ceremony Completes Due West Christmas Parade

The Due West Christmas Parade, set for this Friday, Dec. 7, is not over until the Tree for Life is lit, at least according to fans of this Due West Lions Club project that helps decorate a large Christmas tree near the center of town and raises about $2,000 each year for charity.

Once the parade passes by, with its music, floats, tossed candy, maybe some big guys on little bikes, and, of course, Santa on the fire truck, the action shifts to the corner of Main Street and College, where a tree-lighting ceremony scheduled for 5 p.m. concludes the afternoon's events.

Traditionally, the mayor of Due West, the Hon. Butch Sain, and the president of Erskine College and Seminary, Dr. John Carson, participate in the ceremony, in which the lighting of the Tree for Life symbolizes the contributions of community members who honor loved ones with donations.

Brightening Due West for the holidays, the tree also stands as a reminder of the generosity toward others that can characterize this season. At this year's ceremony, Donna Deason will sing the national anthem, and the Rev. Calvin Draffin, pastor of the Due West ARP Church, will offer a closing prayer.

Lions Club member Hillard Allen of Due West, who says, "I just take the money," said this year's Tree for Life chairman is Charlie Wilson of the Due West branch of the Commercial Bank. Wilson is assisted by Peggy Junkin, former dean of women at Erskine. Monies raised will be given to the Due West Rescue Squad, which currently provides free services, and to other charities targeted by the Lions Club.

"In addition to the Due West Rescue Squad, we support organ donations, the South Carolina Eye Bank, the Storm Eye Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina, leader dog programs, and diabetes awareness programs," Allen said. "One of the projects we did this summer was to send a little girl to diabetes camp – it was a wonderful experience for her.

"A really great thing that's just gotten started is that Lions Clubs throughout the state are collecting used printer cartridges to recycle them and receive $1 per cartridge," said Allen. "This is another way we will be helping to support Lions Club charitable activities."

Franklin Mitchell of the Erskine Computer Services office will take donated cartridges and pass them on to the Lions.

Allen said the list of Tree for Life donors this year "will probably be a three- or four-page booklet." Gifts for the Tree for Life are welcome at any time. Although donations received after Dec. 4 will not be included in the program list, a record of these donations will be posted near the tree throughout the holiday season.