FORT SILL, Okla. (Dec. 12, 2013) -- The balmy temperature of Dec. 3 brought out several hundred people for the annual Fort Sill Holiday Tree Lighting at 6 p.m. outside McNair Hall.
It looked like the tree might not get lit at all when it was realized the post's electric bill might be in arrears, but thanks to air defense and field artillery Soldiers and staff the 35-foot real tree was lit with a bang -- literally.
Musical entertainment was provided by the 77th Army Band "The Pride of Fort Sill" who performed traditional Christmas selections. Corvias Military Living also provided entertainment and refreshments, visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus, photo ops and train rides.
Maj. Gen. Mark McDonald, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general, hosted the celebration and welcomed the crowd.
"To all of you, we appreciate what you do and what you stand for," McDonald said. "The holiday season is a great time for us to relax, enjoy each other and our families."
In his invocation, Chaplain (Col.) Matthew Pawlikowski, Fort Sill installation command chaplain, said: "Lord God let your blessing come upon us as we illumine this tree. May the light and cheer it gives drive away darkness and despair from our souls and be a sign of the joy that fills our hearts in this holiday season."
Festivities got under way when a dozen Corvias performers invited the crowd to a street dance, which had children of all ages boogieing on the asphalt.
The holiday cheer continued with 77th Army Band soloist Spc. Jasmine Gonzales singing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "O Come all ye Faithful" and "We Three Kings."
Santa Claus (Josh Levine, Corvias inventory coordinator) arrived via the horse-drawn Fort Sill Field Artillery Half-Section wagon and greeted the children with a hardy, "Ho, ho, ho."
McDonald greeted Santa. St. Nick asked him if he had been naughty or nice.
"I've tried my best to be good; I think I have been," McDonald said.
Santa had difficulty finding McDonald's name on the good list, but he finally found it noting that it was very near the bottom of the list, next to a person named Glenn Waters (Fort Sill Garrison commander).
Then Santa and McDonald asked for a couple kid volunteers to help flip the giant electric switch to light the tree. So, of course, immediately two dozen children rushed the switch.
Master of ceremonies Michael Simmons, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security, chief of ceremonies, led the light-off countdown with the crowd.
"Three, two, one," said Simmons. And as the switch was thrown a loud "Pfft" was heard as the tree remained dark ... . Now the children's spirits were as dim as the unlit tree.
Spotting a nearby cannon and anti-aircraft guns, both with crews, McDonald suggested the artillerymen help light the tree.
The general said the Model 1897 French 75mm field gun was old and reliable like just like Santa. The children began the countdown again: "Five, four three, two one, zero!"
A cannon blast and a burst from quad .50-caliber machine guns promptly lit the hundreds of white bulbs on the tree to the "oohs," "ahs" and applause from the crowd. All was well at Fort Sill.
Afterward inside a tent, children got to sit on Santa's lap as parents snapped photos. People also got pictures taken in a photo booth to use on holiday greeting cards.
Corvias provided refreshments and Mrs. Claus (Racheal Kuhlman, Corvias Southern Plains Neighborhood assistant community manager) mingled with the crowd. Jill Manley, Nye Library tech, gave away books to children and adults to promote reading.
Down the street, attendees rode the Okie Dokie express train around the Academic Heights housing area.
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