Christmas comes to White Salmon

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 WHITE SALMON — When I was in high school, I would try to time my drive up Dock Grade so I could be first to see the ornaments sparkling extra bright with my high beams. When I returned from college for winter break, they were the sign that my long drive home was finally over and the Christmas season was really starting, heralded by these cheerful bulbs.

It’s all thanks to the “Elves,” who spend a long day up in lifts hand-tying the ornaments and decorating the Christmas tree at Riverview Bank, donated by Jodene and Juris Sarins. 

Volunteers with Community Partners Bingen-White Salmon, the “Elves,” start at 8 a.m. Once the tree is up, the Elves get to work on Dock Grade, with one truck at the bottom and one at the top.

The first year, the Elves hung only five ornaments on Dock Grade by tying a long piece of monofilament to the ornament, swinging it around and launching it into the trees while cars drove by beside them on Dock Grade. They went flying when they cut them down, and the Elves ran around trying to catch them. The holiday cheer has definitely come a long way since then.

With the epic weather in the Columbia Gorge, there’s bound to be some ornament casualties each year, which means the stock of ornaments gets a little depleted. About two years ago, Lloyd DeKay, co-chair, attempted to order more, but they never showed up. Community Partners is asking for donations of ornaments for use in winters to come. Ornaments must be plastic and a minimum of six inches in diameter. They can be dropped off at the Chamber of Commerce, or contact community partners at communitypartnersbws@gmail.com to organize other drop-off details.

“It’s a good tradition,” said Dekay. Each year they try to have them up before Thanksgiving weekend, so out-of-towners and home-for-the-holidayers alike can enjoy them as they come in for the festivities. The Christmas Tree lighting is the next event the Elves are involved with, on Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. at Riverview Bank.

“Even when it’s raining, we still have 350 people for the tree lighting,” said DeKay.

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