Military and non-military families came together on Friday, Dec. 6, for Fort Indiantown Gap’s tree lighting ceremony, a tradition that began in the 1940s.
Following the brief ceremony that lasted about 15 minutes in the late afternoon of a brisk fall day, base commander Col. Kevin D. Potts spoke to LebTown about the importance of family during the holiday season.
“It’s a good time for military families to get together and for everyone to get together on post,” said Potts.
Acting Brigadier General John R. Pippy, Pennsylvania Department of Military Affairs, noted via brief remarks during the ceremony that over 1,400 military personnel were unable to attend the event because they are serving their nation either overseas or domestically.
“It’s tough, it’s really tough – especially to be away from your family this time of year,” said Potts about Pippy’s remark. “When you grow up, you are with your family and it was always a big deal to be with your family.”
Potts noted servicemen and women become a second family to one another – especially when deployed. He added that those relationships become even more important during the holiday season.
“The military becomes your second family, the people you serve with every day. Those people become your brothers and sisters, the ones who are with you, overseas, when you are alone and far away from home,” said Potts. “It’s good to honor them, to think of them and let them know that we’re thinking of them even though they’re not here.”
Nearly as important as those other relationships is the one between military personnel who are based here and the local community members they serve, he said.
“It’s really about being a part of the community, right?” said Potts. “And having that interaction with the community even though we are now a fenced-off and secure facility. We never want them to feel like they are not welcome. We live in their communities and we want them to feel that they are a part of us as well.”
The ceremony, which took place under a cloudless, star-lit sky and waxing half-moon, included musical entertainment.
Northern Lebanon Elementary School chorus, backed by the nine-piece 28th Infantry Division Band, sang a variety of songs including “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
As the band played and the chorus sang “Here Comes Santa Claus,” Santa approached the base’s club atop of a mine-resistant, ambush-protected all-terrain vehicle operated by Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers. Old St. Nick was escorted by the Fort Indiantown Gap Fire Department, whose sirens and lights heralded his arrival.
Laughing merrily and saying “Ho, Ho, Ho,” Santa waved to the crowd, consisting of about 100 to 150 attendees of all ages, who waved back to the jolly old elf. After he exited the vehicle, he walked under a candy-cane salute by students from the Keystone Academy ChalleNGe who comprised the Christmas Candy Cane Color Guard for this event.
Read More: Academy at Fort Indiantown Gap challeNGes teen participants
One of Santa’s duties was to help assist Pippy in lighting the 30-plus-foot evergreen tree that was decorated with red, white and blue lights.
A social gathering with light refreshments was immediately held following the tree-lighting ceremony inside the club’s ballroom. Arrowheads Bar & Grill was also open to guests and the bar was doing brisk business following the ceremony.
Everyone enjoyed cookies, cupcakes and brownies along with a hot beverage. Children of various ages stood in line to meet Santa and get their picture taken with him as family and friends snapped photos of their loved ones on their phones.
There were two booths for the children to get free stickers and other trinkets along with miniature candy canes. As the guests mingled in the ballroom and enjoyed their refreshments, the movie “Elf” was being broadcast to add to the evening’s festivities.
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