Tree of Light decorated by volunteer crew
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) Bill Baker wouldn’t miss decorated the 100 foot pine on the corner of Carrillo and Chapala in Santa Barbara.
“We’ve been installing the lights on the tree of light here in Santa Barbara for almost 90 years. We have our [union] membership come out. It’s really something that we we love to do. Give back to the community.” said Baker.
Steve Lopez enjoys it, too.
“In the younger days, we had incandescent lighting,” said Lopez, ” It was just quite a show. All my kids came through doing it.”
It is a labor of live rain or shine.
“At one time it rained so much we couldn’t get it up. And then we finally decided it was too late in the season. Forget it. And people called in and were asking for it. And so we came out in the rain and put it up,” Lopez.
“The community really enjoys it. We get phone calls from from people in the community asking us when we’re going to do it and when are the lights going to be up,” said Baker.
The city of Santa Barbara helps with traffic control and Ralphs powers the lights.
There are 17 strands of about 100 lights.