Aurora resident donates spruce for community celebration

A “stately, graceful” spruce tree donated by an Aurora resident will glow for the first time this season during Aurora’s holiday tree-lighting ceremony on the night before Thanksgiving.

“Stately,” “graceful” and “beautiful” all are words Judi Kessler used to describe the spruce she allowed the city to remove from her yard and install outside North Island Center, 8 E. Galena Blvd., for the holidays.

She said she’s looking forward to attending the ceremony, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, and seeing the tree that grew in her yard for 31 years all lighted up.

“I think it’s going to be super neat to have everyone see it,” Kessler said. “What I didn’t realize is how much people really enjoy it simply because they knew who it belonged to.”

The tree will be decorated with ornaments made and submitted by Aurora residents. Two young winners of an annual contest — nicknamed Jack Frost and Miss Merry Christmas — will help Santa and Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner flip the switch and illuminate the tree.

Kessler, 70, said she donated the tree in honor of her husband, Lin, who died last December at age 76. The tree’s growth was something the couple shared, and after some consideration Kessler decided to share it with other Aurora residents this season.

The excitement has been building since late October when city crews came to prepare the tree for removal by flooding it with 1,000 gallons of water, Kessler said. On Nov. 1, the spruce was removed from her yard and began its trek to the North Island Center downtown.

“It was an experience for me to do this,” Kessler said. “I was hesitant at first, but now I’m glad.”

For those who attend the tree-lighting ceremony, excitement will begin building when Santa and the children chosen as Jack Frost and Miss Merry Christmas will arrive on an antique fire truck, city spokesman Kevin Stahr said.

Having the event on the night before Thanksgiving on an island in the Fox River helps create an atmosphere of community spirit for the event, he said.

“It makes for a nice way that families can welcome in the holidays right before Thanksgiving,” Stahr said. “It’s a nice event for community spirit and seeing your neighbors and seeing the city celebrate the start of the holidays.”