Lights, action! Volunteers ready Uptown snowflakes for First Street holiday look

By CHRIS TYLER/for The Herald  —  The skeletons of Halloween are still visible with tombstones and werewolves dotting the occasional yard, decaying jack-o-lanterns on front porches, and maybe even a few treats still lurking in the kitchen cabinets.

At the same time, Thanksgiving with its tryptophan induced food comas and football rituals are still more than two weeks away.

Nevertheless, last night some seasonal Christmas festivity was already underway and being checked for joyful illumination on the streets of Oakridge. It’s the snowflake lights.

The pageantry being readied wasn’t being done at Santa’s workshop nor by his army of elves. Nope. The people of Oakridge have the Uptown Business & Revitalization Association members, volunteers and donors to thank for ushering in the holiday spirit into the commercial area of E. 1st Street.

Longtime resident and UBRA member Lynda Kamerrer was inspired to bring some of the same Christmas spirit found along Highway 58 during the holiday season into the northside’s business district. The ceremonial snowflake lights have now been a staple in Uptown for the past several years.

From idea to reality, bringing the snowflakes to life hasn’t been cheap. Each unique display costs $350. Alas, between maintenance, storage and such, keeping the snowflakes brightly lit over each passing year’s holidays is also an ongoing effort.

But, through generous donations, the snowflake count hasn’t melted. In fact, UBRA’s seasonal display has managed to grow from less than a handful and into the low double digits. There was a modest debate as to whether the tradition was started in 2017 or 2018.

More importantly, the snowflake lights are almost ready to ensure joyful smiles and thoughts for all that pass by them for the next few months. And regardless of whether Mother Nature will gift us with a beautiful dusting, or even a few inches of crystalized H20, 1st Street will be ready.

 

UBRA member, Lynda Kamerrer, would like to ask Santa for some additional snowflake lights. Today, the snowflake lights span from Laurel to Beech St along E. 1st Street. The wish, however, is for enough of these unique, electrified spectacles to be able to span the Creswell Bridge; the most prominent gateway into the Uptown district.
And on that note, in order to make that ambition a reality sooner rather than later, UBRA will be accepting donations toward the purchase of more snowflakes now and throughout the year.