Deck the Trees represents the best of our community
Supporting those in need and celebrating ‘A Black Mountain Christmas’
Libba Fairleigh
Guest contributor
The Valley Echo
December
The Town of Black Mountain is alive with Christmas Trees. Take your mom, take your children,
take your grandchildren or go with friends to enjoy the 45 custom-decorated trees created around the theme, A Black Mountain Christmas. The trees have been placed in various locations around town for the annual Deck the Trees event, sponsored by the Monte Vista Boutique Hotel.
For the past 11 years, Deck the Trees has raised money for the Fuel Fund of the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. Helping our neighbors is at the heart of who Black Mountain is.
“Deck the Trees is just one of the amazing ways this giving community comes together to help those in need in our town,” said Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Executive Director Cheryl Wilson. “This event raises much needed funding so that SVCM can ensure our elderly, working poor, and families can stay warm each winter.”
Such help is especially needed this year, as local residents struggle to make ends meet in the face of rising fuel costs.
Along with helping our neighbors, the trees offer holiday fun for the whole family. The 2021 Trees celebrate all that makes Black Mountain so unique. Explore the 21 trees at the Monte Vista Hotel and see if you can find a Brownie Scout pin (hint: it’s not on the Girl Scout tree). Which tree has street signs for Sutton Ave. and Cherry St. and which one features family members of local first responders? Remember the past while reflecting on the ornaments that have graced the trees of Monte Vista through the years, and see the collection of historic photographs depicting the Hotel's adventure through time.
Twenty-four trees in the community depict life in previous years and life now. Photos from 1940 Black Mountain High School Class join other photos celebrating the rich history of our town.
What tree has Black Mountain maps as ornaments? Trains are at the heart of Black Mountain, find that tree. And why are there pickles on a tree? Bears, bears, and more bears can be found on many trees, but one tree features the chicken that is always wandering in the yards of friends and neighbors. Cat prints have found their way onto some of the photos. One community tree offers inspirational words from Emerson, Thoreau, Muir about living a simpler, more creative life with nature.
See the tree that honors the Greatest Generation of Black Mountain. Carol Tyson and her sister Pegg Rozell, both Baby Boomers, decorated the Tyson’s Furniture tree as their favorite childhood Christmas. For them the time after World War II was magical, as if they were walking among heroes — and they were. Their tree is to honor all the men and women in the Swannanoa Valley who fought and sacrificed at home and abroad to win the war. They topped the tree with a B17 flying fortress, the plane their father flew in World War II.
Seventeen citizens and businesses of Black Mountain have already stepped forward and given money, as sponsors, for this cause. You can see their names on three beautiful banners at the Monte Vista Hotel. Other community friends have donated to the Un-Gala, which was conducted remotely because the annual Gala had to once again be cancelled due to the pandemic.
And now it’s your turn. You can provide heat for those in need and vote for your favorite tree by placing cash or a check in one of the collection boxes that are located beside each tree. This year, donations can also be made using the QR code beside the trees. Or, you can go online to svcmblackmountain.org to view and vote for your favorite trees. Every cent donated to Deck the Trees goes to the Fuel Fund. Someone, somewhere in the Swannanoa Valley is counting on you.
Deck The Trees offers a memory, a new vista, a whimsical moment for everyone to enjoy. To download the brochure telling you where all the trees are located, visit svcmblackmountain.org.
Libba Fairleigh is the chair of the Deck the Trees committee, which begins organizing the annual fundraiser every summer. The event has raised more than $150,000 for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund since it debuted in 2010.