DECEMBER 9, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A3
Mia Lou and Kailey help Santa light tree
Mia Lou Cantrell (left) with
dad Tony, and Kailey Garza
help Santa switch on the
lights of Keizer’s Christmas
tree at the annual ceremony
held Tuesday, Dec. 6.
PHOTO/Lyndon Zaitz
Santa fi gurines from the private collection of Harry Pease are
on display at the Keizer Heritage Museum through the end of
December.
A Heritage holiday
Dozens of Santa Claus fi gu-
rines from the private collec-
tion of the late Mary Pease is
on temporary exhibit at the
Keizer Heritage Museum in-
side the Keizer Heritage Cen-
ter through the end of De-
cember.
Mary Pease was married
to Harry Pease, a long time
educator in Keizer schools,
a founder of Keizer Little
League and Keizer’s First Citi-
zen in 1968.
The Santas are ceramic
and each has its own lifestyle
theme.
Continuing the Christmas
motif, the Keizer Commu-
nity Library is featuring more
than 15 Breyer Horse fi gurines
from the collection of Natalie
Rick, a library volunteer. Rick
has been collecting the Christ-
mas-themed horses for more
than 20 years. Each horse has
destinctive decorations, each
playing on a specifi c story. This
display will also be exhibited
until the end of December.
The Keizer Heritage Mu-
seum is open Tuesdays and
Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
and Saturdays from 10 am. to
4 p.m. The Keizer Commu-
nity Library is open Monday-
Thursday, 1-7 p.m., Friday, 1-4
p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
and Sunday 1,4 p.m.
Below: A choir made of Boys
and Girls Club members sang
popular Christmas carols
before Santa’s arrival.
PHOTO/Lyndon Zaitz
Mia Lou Cantrell and Kai-
ley Garza were the two lucki-
est kids in Keizer on Tuesday,
Dec. 6.
The two were chosen by
drawing to help Santa Claus
fl ip the switch on the lights
of Keizer’s Christmas tree at
Walery Plaza.
Hundreds of kids and their
families gathered for the an-
nual ceremony that marks the
unoffi cial start of the Christ-
mas season in the Iris City.
The crowd was enter-
tained by a choir from the
Boys and Girls Club, accom-
panied by the Grand Jazz and
Swing Band.
As emcee, Dave Walery
periodically checked in with
Santa on his arrival status, the
crowd enjoyed hot cider and
cookies.
At 6:40 p.m. Santa, with
the help of Kailey and Mia
Lou (with her dad, Tony
Cantrell) turned on the 3,750
multi-color lights on the 76-
foot tall tree to to loud cheers
and applause.
The next holiday event in
Keizer is the Holiday Lights
Parade on Saturday, Dec. 10.
More photos on the Keizer-
times Facebook page.
By LYNDON ZAITZ
Of the Keizertimes
Keizer’s Mr. Christmas—
Dave Walery—had a problem.
The holiday wouldn’t be the
same if there were no lights
on the city’s Christmas tree
to switch on at the scheduled
ceremony on Dec. 6.
Each year Walery oversees
the hanging of decorations
along the city’s main thor-
oughfares which includes the
76-foot tree at Walery Plaza
at River Road and Cherry
Avenue.
The problem this year
was the rig that has been
used in the past to reach the
top of the tree—Keizer Fire
District’s 100-foot ladder
truck—was unavailable due
to scheduled maintenance.
“I was going through my
list of people,” said Walery. He
called different groups that
helped in the past but none
had a rig that could reach to
the top of the tree.
“I happened to be driv-
ing by R &R Tree Service
and saw their crane truck and
thought, ‘That sucker would
get to the top of the tree.’”
“I don’t know Robert
(Cornett—owner of R & R
Tree Service). I called and
he said he would be happy
to help and would help with
Keizer’s Christmas tree every
Make this Holiday
R & R Tree Service saves Christmas in Keizer
One to
Remember
Free gift
wrapping
through
Dec. 24
SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS
Sunday Dec. 11th: 11am – 4pm
Sunday, Dec. 18th: 11am – 4pm
Christmas Eve until 3 pm
B OUCHER J EWELERS
4965 River Rd N
503-393-0701
year from now on.”
Early Saturday morn-
ing, Dec. 3, Cornett and his
general foreman Tim Jones
arrived with a truck with a
100-crane and bucket that
could easily reach the top of
the tree. Shortly after arriv-
ing Walery joined Jones and
his small son, Derek, in the
crane that took them to the
top to snake electric cords
down the trunk.
Following on the heels of
the crane truck was the tree
service’s Tupen, a track lift
rig with tank-style treads and
stabilizing arms that makes it
look like a large green spider.
Cornett and Jones were
joined by other R & R Tree
Service employees includ-
ing Robert Kilmer and Joey
Mitchell.
Cornett donated the use of
his rigs while he and his staff
all volunteered their time to
help string lights on the tree.
Watching from ground
level and helping with light
stringing were local volun-
teers including Bob Shackle-
ford, leader of Men of Action
in Keizer, a Keizer Chamber
group. Other volunteers were
Shawn Lapof, Randy Cook,
Larry Schmidgall, Steve
Clark and Ron Freeman.
CONCEALED CARRY
PERMIT CLASS
1PM AT KEIZER CIVIC CENTER
L O C ATED AT: 930 CHEM AWA RD NE, KEI ZER OR 97303
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14
$
2 PERMIT OPTIONS: OREGON ONLY ( 45)
OREGON
$
or MULTI-STATE ( 80) INCLUDED
Cash or check payment will
be made at the class.
A driver license is all
you need to bring.
HONORED
3 WAYS TO SIGN UP!
CALL: 360 -921-2071
WEB: FirearmTrainingNW.com
EMAIL: FirearmTrainingNW@gmail.com
DO NOT HONOR
UT RES. ONLY
Walk-Ins are
Welcome
Multi-state permit
honored in Alaska
but not Hawaii