Murphy - The town has a larger Christmas tree looming over the area this year thanks to the Murphy Business Association.
“It’s amazing,” Mayor Rick Ramsey said, comparing the lighting of the tree to seeing fireworks.
Wayne Peacock, the business association’s president, said the group had been talking about getting a bigger tree for the town for a while. They received donations, including a very large one, then purchased the 24-feet-tall tree over the summer when it was on sale. They selected a tree that is in sections, so they can purchase sections to add to it in future years to make the tree even taller.
With the star on top, the tree towers over downtown at 28 feet above ground.
“I haven’t stopped smiling,” Peacock said.
He hopes everyone enjoys the tree and sees it as a great place for family photos. The association got the Festive Fairies to decorate the tree.
“The Festive Fairies did an amazing job with it,” Peacock said. “I couldn’t be more pleased. We owe a huge thank you to those ladies.”
It took five hours for the Festive Fairies – composed of Cindy Chastain and Jill Kernea, with helpers Jordan Hogsed and Heather Watson – to decorate the tree, including a lot of fluffing of the branches.
Each limb was pre-lit with a string of lights. The tree is decorated with traditional gold and red ornaments and topped with a 4-feet-tall star, also purchased by the Murphy Business Association. Chastain said they didn’t have to cover it with as many ornaments because of how pretty the tree is.
“It’s a beautiful tree,” Chastain said as town and Murphy Electric Power Board employees placed the seven sections of the tree Thursday morning. “I love it – it’s exciting. I hope everybody loves it.”
Peacock thanked the town employees for their hard work placing the tree.
“They’ve done a great job,” he said. “We definitely could not do this without them.”
The association donated the tree to Murphy. The old tree, which was about 20 feet tall, may be repurposed by the town and placed down the road at one of the town buildings or a nearby park.
Marines dedicate brick memorial
Murphy – The U.S. Marine Corps League, Detachment 1011 of Cherokee County, dedicated the brick memorial Saturday morning at Konehete Park.
Junior Vice Commandant Robert Lewis, who leads the project for the organization, thanked the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners for use of the park for the memorial. He also thanked those who donated the two benches already installed as well as another bench coming soon.
There are more than 220 bricks in the memorial honoring those who served. Some bricks remember those who passed away, while others honor those still living.
Anyone may purchase a brick for $50 to honor any veteran. Each 8-by-8 inch brick may be engraved with a message up to three lines. Lewis said there are two bricks honoring men who fought in the Civil War.
“This is history being made,” he said.
Lewis opened the opportunity to share about those names on the bricks by remembering the men he served with in Vietnam. Others then shared information about their loved ones.
Gwen Hathaway remembered her husband, Roger, who passed away last year, and the eight friends he purchased bricks for before passing.
“I think it’s wonderful,” Hathaway said after the ceremony, adding that she and her husband were on board from the beginning.
Lewis reminded that the project is ongoing process, and bricks will be added for years to come.
“We can expand to what it takes for all veterans, all branches of the services,” he said.
The Marine Corps League started the project five years ago. Forms to purchase bricks for the memorial are available at the Cherokee County Veterans Services Office in the courthouse on Peachtree Street downtown.
Marble center hosts breakfast fundraiser
Marble – Kids will get to meet Santa and the Grinch at the Marble Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
The community club will start serving pancakes, sausage and drinks at 9 a.m. Each plate is $5.
As families eat, the club will have Santa and the Grinch set up for photos. Families may get a 4x6 photo with Santa, the Grinch or both for $5.
The event is a fundraiser for the community center. The club has already raised and put in $13,000 worth of renovations into the building, and would like to raise $10,000 more to renovate the kitchen, President Tony Pace said.
At the club’s Christmas bingo on Nov. 30, more than 120 people filled the center and purchased 1,500 bingo cards. The club raised $2,000 during the event.
Photo appointments are not necessary, but Pace has taken some for Saturday. For details, contact him through the Marble Community Club’s Facebook page.
Samantha Sinclair is the Scouting Around columnist for the Cherokee Scout. You can reach her by phone, 837-5122, Ext. 24; or email, scoutingaround@cherokeescout.com.