Five years ago, Jalaya Liles Dunn started the Neighborhood Christmas Tree Lightings with three trees.
But now, she will decorate 10 trees with a possibility of two more in neighborhoods throughout Bennettsville.
“I am amazed that we have come to this level of this work,” said Dunn, who is the owner of House of J and coordinator of the event. “I knew it was going to be great because everyone has a good heart and was giving their best. This was a void we needed to fill.”
Kick-off for the tree lightings was held Tuesday evening at the City of Bennettsville Visitor’s Center.
City of Bennettsville Tourism, Parks and Recreation partnered with Dunn.
Dunn said it has been a crazy year but it didn’t stop them from coming together.
The 2020 Neighborhood Christmas Tree Lightings has a theme of “Christmas Together.”
Each tree is placed in a location in the city with a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony hosted by a neighborhood partner. City of Bennettsville 2020 Christmas ornaments will be given out at the tree lightings.
The schedule of tree lightings includes:
— Monday, Dec. 14 at 5:30 p.m., Downtown Neighborhood, A+Auto Spa, 200 W. Main Street. Sponsored by A+Auto Spa.
— Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m., Down West Neighborhood, the Corner of Marshall Street and McKay Circle. Sponsored by Bennettsville City Councilman Tyron Abraham, Rep. Pat Henegan, and Men of the Corner.
— Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m., Norwood Acres Neighborhood, 563 Terrace Drive. Sponsored by Norwood Acres Neighborhood.
— Thursday, Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m., Up East Neighborhood, 801 Country Club Drive. Sponsored by AMI Kids Bennettsville.
— Friday, Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m., North Bennettsville, Northside Fire Station. Sponsored by Upsilon Sigma Omega, AKA.
— Saturday, Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m., North Bennettsville Neighborhood, 1581 David’s Mill Pond Road #601 Sponsored by Victory World Outreach Center.
— Sunday, Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m., Mill Farm Neighborhood, Location TBA. Sponsored by Mill Farm Neighborhood Partners.
— Monday, Dec. 21 at 5:30 p.m. Richardson Park Neighborhood, 400 Mills Street. Sponsored by Richardson Park Neighborhood Partners.
— Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 5:30 p.m. Shady Rest/Cheraw Highway Neighborhood, Mama Blair’s, 602 Cheraw Highway. Sponsored by Mama Blair’s Business Partner.
— Additional tree lighting without ceremony TBD.
— Additional tree lighting without ceremony TBD.
Dunn gave each partner an ornament in the shape of a little house from the House of J.
“Our values of home, family, and love, and community stayed true,” Dunn said. “All of the single homes make one big village. Each of you will have a little piece of our village on your tree in your neighborhood.”
At each tree lighting site, people are encouraged to participate in the neighborhood 12 Days of Christmas social media challenge.
For more information or tree lightings, visit the House of J Neighborhood Partners Facebook page.