By Robin GOLDSWORTHY

Community members, many in coats and scarves, made their way to the La Crescenta Library on Tuesday night for an event just for them – the annual La Crescenta Christmas tree lighting.

“It’s throwing a big party for the community,” said Robbyn Battles, formerly with the Crescenta Valley Town Council, who spearheads the event.

In 2014, Battles, who grew up in Montrose, wanted to create a holiday event specific to La Crescenta. After looking around, she decided that the La Crescenta Library, which has become a touchstone in the community, would be a perfect place to launch a new holiday tradition: the lighting of the Christmas tree.

Planning the lighting takes months with the date for next year requested the week after the current year’s Christmas tree lighting. Then in September, Battles said, she starts coordinating with the office of the 5th District supervisor – currently Kathryn Barger – and with the county department of parks and recreation, which hangs the garland and other ornaments that need a bucket truck to reach. 

“This year they sent five people to help, which was amazing,” Battles said.

In October, she starts inviting people who will be participating and attending the event. In early November, she meets on-site with librarian Marta Wiggins, a representative of the supervisor’s office and ISD (the people responsible for erecting the staging). 

“Beginning the week after Thanksgiving until day of the event I live here,” she said with a laugh. 

While Battles oversees the outside events, Wiggins and the organization Friends of the Library take care of arranging the inside activities. These include a puppet show, live music and cookies and cocoa. Wiggins said that on Tuesday they handed out nearly 500 cookies and 250 cups of cocoa and coffee.

Local organization ASTER (Assisting Seniors Through Enhanced Resources) has partnered with the senior home care company Home Instead to provide the program Be a Santa to a Senior. Inside the library, patrons will find a Christmas tree decorated with gift requests by local seniors. Patrons are encouraged to fill a request by purchasing the gift, then returning the gift to the library for delivery to the senior. 

Hosting an event of this size is not an easy task and Battles is quick to point out the many people who help each year. In particular, she said that local resident Fred Laughrey was at her side taking care of every issue, whether major or incidental. CV Town Council member Lisa Griffin lent her carpentry skills to help set the mood.

“Lisa gets a shout-out for her creativity in making giant lollipops, candy canes and other displays,” said Battles. 

Among Griffin’s contributions this year is a faux fireplace she built that was placed on Tuesday night at the foot of the giant tree in front of the library. She also made a gingerbread-type house to add to the holiday spirit.

Guests of the tree lighting also had the chance to greet special guests Santa and Mrs. Claus, who were available for photos, courtesy of Battles. The couple was seated on custom chairs built just for them by Morey Moore. 

“The chairs are off-the-chart amazing,” Battles said of Moore’s handiwork. 

Before the tree lighting, Supervisor Barger acknowledged Battles’ vision in creating the event and how special the Crescenta Valley is.

“This is a magical time of the year,” Barger said to the audience. “It’s an honor to represent you; we’re lucky to be here.”

An invocation was offered by Steve Poteet-Marshall of the CV United Methodist Church who invited patrons to be a light to the community in the same way that Christ is a light to the world.

Members of the American Legion Post 288 and VFW Post 1614 presented the colors before students from Dunsmore, Holy Redeemer and Mountain Avenue elementary schools sang Christmas carols. Everly Upright, a third grade Valley View Elementary School student, performed a stunning solo.

Battles said that her goal for the Christmas tree lighting was to create memories like she had growing up.

“Every year we have one family whose mom brings her three adorable children to hang ornaments on the tree,” Battles said. When the mom saw that the tree appeared to be completely decorated she called Battles to say how disappointed her family was. “I told her that I had saved one bucket of ornaments for the kids. That’s what this is all about – creating the memories for the kids in our community and their families.”

If there was anything that Battles regretted it was the installation of an artificial tree rather than a real one. The new location for the tree in the front of library was not conducive to having a real tree, but Battles said the artificial one is “beautiful and cost-effective.”

“It really is pretty. It looks like Christmas,” she said. “That puppy is heavy, though!”