Deck the commons with boughs of holly
Fa la la la la la la la!
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la la la la!
This year’s Parade of Trees, held in the school commons on Saturday evening, segued from the city’s holiday parade and combined with Toys for Tots, a nationwide program that provides toys for less fortunate children.
Like last year and the year before, Cleveland’s Toys for Tots, usually held in the firehall, was dedicated to memory of Everly Hewitt. Daughter of Ray and Katie Hewitt (above), Everly suffered from a congenital disorder but was a kindergartener at Cleveland when she passed away unexpectedly in the fall of 2021.
While the CFD recognized the benefits of attaching Everly’s name to the local Toys for Tots, for the Hewitts, the drive was an apt way preserve her legacy since, although just a child herself, Everly loved kids, said mom Katie.
“They were her absolute joy in life, so when she passed away, that was one of the first things we said: ‘we’re going to keep her memory alive.’ The fire department approached us and said ‘We do our Toys for Tots drive. Can we do it in honor of Everly?’"
The Hewitts were amazed at the amount of toys donated and the cash donations too. Several tables filled up as the night went along. After zig-zagging around town in the Cleveland Fire Department’s side-by-side, Santa got dropped off at the school after the parade as did more toys, those collected by the CFD along the parade route.
Around the walls of the commons, each grade-school class had a tree decorated with ornaments they made, 20 trees total. The decorations were based on the theme of a holiday book that the class read.
While they were waiting to tell their Christmas wishes to Santa, kids could decorate cookies, make Christmas ornaments and color.
Last year was the first year that Cleveland has had a holiday parade. It, the Parade of Trees and the Toys for Tots drive were held on different nights.
Instead of pulling a sleigh, this reindeer in the city’s holiday parade was pulled around by a fire truck.
The CFD rescue boat served as a vessel for toys collected along the parade route.
A Ponwith Farms semi tractor was one of the parade entries.
Preschooler Kinsley Schleeve brought a Barbie doll for the Toys for Tots drive.
The cookie decorating table.
Lucy Smith shows off an ornament she made during the Parade of Trees.
Kindergartener Claire Bateman points out the ornament she made for her class’s tree.
Madison Green holds the grinch ornament she made in her second-grade class.
Santa had a chilly ride on the CFD’s side-by-side.
Community Education coordinator Rich Kern announced Santa’s entrance.
Kids wait in line to visit with Santa. Barbie dolls, Nerf guns, Nintendos, PlayStations and I-phones were high up on their Christmas lists.
Lucy Weideman waits for a chat with Santa. Her mother, Maggie Weideman, is a first-grade teacher at Cleveland.
Blakely Berry visits with Santa.
The Scott Miller family and relatives kept Santa busy.
Sidney Johnson’s third-grade class read “Elf” and made ornaments that looked like elves.
Karin Miller’s kindergarten class read “Otto the Ornament” and made ornaments from repurposed CDs.
Lucy Nicolay’s first grade class read “There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Bell” and made bell-shaped ornaments.
Katie Wolf’s fifth graders read “The Biggest Christmas Tree Ever” and made Christmas tree ornaments from sticks and ribbons.
Maggie Weideman’s first-grade class read “Sneezy the Snowman” and made snowman ornaments.
Jesse Lindsay’s preschool class read “Santa Mouse” and made Santa Claus hat ornaments.
Emily Manser’s fourth-grade class read “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and made Grinch ornaments.
Bree Meyer’s sixth-grade class read “Barbie” and decorated ornaments in Barbie pink (and Ken blue).
Lynell Rohlfing’s preschool class also read “Santa Mouse” and made Santa Claus hat ornaments.
Cassidy Block’s fourth-grade class read “The Big Christmas Bake” and made cupcake ornaments.
Brooke Vogel’s first graders read “Snow Globe Family” and made snow globe-like ornaments with their portrait inside.
Heather Smith’s third graders read “Santa is Coming to Minnesota” and made snowflake ornaments with their names on them.
Jeff Skinner’s fifth-grade class read “Rocking Horse Christmas” and made rocking horse ornaments from corks, pipe cleaners and tongue depressors.
Dalton Thelen’s third-grade class read “Llama Lamma Holiday Drama” and made llama ornaments from cardboard and yarn.
Unidentified tree and ornaments.
Emily Elverum’s second-grade class read “Home Alone” and made ornaments of themselves striking Macaulay Culkin’s famous pose from the movie with the same name.
Katie Hollerich’s kindergarten class read “If You Take a Mouse to the Movies” and made angel ornaments with photos of themselves for the faces.
Clara Wieser’s second-grade class read “Merry Grinchmas” and drew Grinch faces on green bulbs.
Wendi Honza’s second graders read “Mr. Willoby’s Christmas Tree” and painted Christmas trees on wood ornaments.
Tonja Baker’s kindergarten class read “Gingerbread Baby” and “Gingerbread Frinds” and made gingerbread ornaments.
A tree line on the west wall of the commons
A tree line on the east wall of the commons