By The Collegian Staff
Cameron University invites the community of southwest Oklahoma to get into the holiday spirit at its annual holiday tree lighting ceremony and reception.
The tree lighting ceremony will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Dec. 1 in the McMahon Centennial Complex (MCC) on the Lawton campus and from 6-8 p.m. on Nov. 30 at the Duncan campus.
President John McArthur, accompanied by the Cameron University Centennial Singers, will give a warm welcome to everyone at the event.
Guests who arrive early can decorate cookies and enjoy hot cocoa, s’mores, popcorn balls and cupcakes until the lighting festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. The come-and-go event will also include horse-drawn carriage rides, musical performances by the CU Centennial Singers and the lighting of a fully decorated holiday tree.
Janet Williams, director of media relations, said the event is a great introduction to the holiday season.
“It’s a community event made to get people in the festive holiday feelings,” Williams said. “There’s a lot of activities for kids and adults.”
President Cynthia Ross started the tree lighting ceremony in 2006 as a way to involve the community. The ceremony is coordinated by Williams, director of events Johnna Brown and Sodexo to give Cameron students and the community a fun opportunity to get in the holiday mood.
Williams says this event helps Cameron communicate with the community.
“It gives outside community a good chance to come see what we have going on,” she said.
Williams said her favorite part of the event is the cookie decorating.
“I love watching the kids have fun,” Williams said. “They always make a huge mess, but you can tell they are having a lot of fun.”
The event will also host Cards for Soldiers booth. For service members who can’t make it home for the holidays, attendees can write or draw personal messages on holiday cards that will be mailed to active-duty soldiers and area veterans.
Cards for Soldiers has been an active program for three years now and they hope to continue with the help of volunteers from Cameron and the Community. Sometimes these cards may be the only thing soldiers and veterans will receive for the holidays. They will set up in the MCC where you can stop by and sign cards.
Leslie Cothren, director of residential life, is in charge of Cards for Soldiers this year and she says it’s great for students and the soldiers.
“Students get to think about someone else and do something special for someone else,” Cothren said, “and I think that is good for them.”