CHARLESTOWN, Ind. — As the nights get colder and darker, holiday cheer lit up Charlestown, Indiana.
"Light it up!" Charlestown Mayor Treva Hodges shouted after a large crowd counted down from five.
Then, Melissa Stewart flipped a switch; the 55 ft. Christmas tree beamed in white lights, along with garlands and displays decorating Greenway Park.
"It's magical every single time," Hodges said.
Stewart took on the most important task of the night.
"I'm flipping the switch," said the Charlestown High School teacher. "I'm the light up person."
The radio and student council teacher flipped the light switch that lights up the annual holiday celebration. It's a tradition that's lasted over a decade, and a new "honorary light switcher" is chosen each year to kick off the holiday season.
"I don't really know how I got so lucky as to be honored with this," Stewart said. "But, my guess is that I've been teaching in Charlestown for 24 years, this is my home community."
The switch was decorated in pink lights for breast cancer awareness.
"It shows me that people care, and they've supported me, and been with me through this whole battle with breast cancer," Stewart said.
She beat breast cancer two weeks ago.
"It's been very rough," Stewart said. "It's a very difficult thing, but I've vowed top be strong through all of it. So, to have the support of the whole city behind me to say 'hey, this is your trophy, you did this, you beat it.'"
The lights usher in a new season in an event that Hodges said gets bigger and brighter every year.
"It gives people the chance to create longstanding memories with their friends and family, and that's what Charlestown is all about," Hodges said.
The tree is made up of recycled spools.
"Whether it's down here in Greenway Park where you have that kind of Hallmark, romantic feeling; Or up on the city's square with the animated light show; Or at the family activities park where they have the more kid friendly events, the winter market and the train rides," Hodges said.
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