Midvale community members decorate the town and add an ice skating rink
By:
Mary Phipps
B.J. Whitener of Midvale, Idaho, has created an initiative to decorate her town every Christmas season for the past three years. Despite the dreariness and fear brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the decorations this Christmas season continue to grow both in involvement and the decorations themselves.
“Every year I would drive through Midvale, and I’d think, ‘man, what a shame. How does Midvale not decorate at all anymore,’” said Whitener. “Three years ago I thought, ‘you know what? I’m going to try decorating.’”
Whitener moved to the area around 19 years ago and said she had noticed that there were few decorations in Midvale during the holiday season. In 2017, she told her husband that she wished to decorate the town that year.
Gathering students from the Midvale 4-H Club and along with community friends, she covered the town in Christmas lights. The decorations have expanded each year, adding a Christmas tree in 2019 and an ice rink this year. Different elements are also improved every year including adding power to the lights and hopefully next year converting to LED, said Whitener.
“It’s almost been a blessing, even to me, because I see how many people appreciate it and enjoy it,” said Whitener. “It almost makes you want to do more, makes you want to do good.”.
As the decorations grow, so do the participation and excitement from the residents in the area. Whitener said she is never in need of funds as donations to the cause roll in from locals, the city and the fire department.
This year, more than 50 children and residents gathered to aid in the decorating adventure. The 4-H students have continued to pitch in every year and parents have always been invited to join. Pizza was bought for the group and Whitener said she simply enjoyed witnessing the camaraderie among Midvale and the memories being made.
“It’s just a neat, community-minded thing,” said Whitener. “It’s just a great community. They’re so eager to be apart of that and help.”
Community members and city officials such as Mayor Brian Graham alike have shown a willingness to offer help no matter the ask, she said. Graham has offered his bucket truck to aid in the installation of the lights as well as support the adding of a tree and ice rink. Both the city council and mayor have been helpful and shown an invaluable helpfulness in Whitener’s quest to spread Christmas cheer.
“Our city council and our mayor are just so great about getting on board,” said Whitener. “It’s just great to work with people that are so helpful.”
The Midvale community has shown its invaluableness to Whitener, saying that there is no community like it.
The tree lighting ceremony saw more than 100 people join along with a pastor praying for the season and the Upper Country Singers singing Christmas carols.
While the 4-H students and other residents join in decorating on a designated day, Whitener and her family take on the remaining decorating responsibilities that require a significant amount of time. While the majority of the decorations are installed with the extra help, decorating the town actually begins in early November and continues until finished on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
“I knew that I loved the decorations,” said Whitener. “I think I was kind of surprised by how much everybody did [enjoy it.] It’s just pretty cool how community-minded Midvale is.”
Just north of Midvale, the town of Cambridge has also felt a surge of Christmas spirit and a new desire to decorate, said Cambridge Commercial Club member Megan Warren. The Cambridge water tower was decorated with lights in the style of a Christmas tree and was lit in a ceremony on Sunday. This is the city’s first year lighting the water tower and the initiative was placed forward by the Commercial Club as a way to embrace Christmas and a distraction for the dreariness of the world. Within the past three years since Midvale began largely decorating, the town has seen a newfound joy and wish to spread that joy.
“We’re just really wanting to give people something to be happy and excited about in this time where everybody’s kind of frustrated and not in the holiday spirit,” said Warren.
Warren said that the Cambridge community is working together to decorate more for the Christmas season and has been inspired by surrounding towns such as Midvale. After researching the initial idea and observing other towns also lighting water towers, the idea sparked an excitement among community members that positively surprised Warren.
“The entire community is abuzz and they are really excited about what we are doing,” said Warren. “We have people donating and asking questions and are really enthusiastic about it...”
The 4-H Club decorated the town on Sunday. Businesses have decorated storefronts and residents have decorated homes and a Christmas decorating contest organized through the Cambridge Commercial Club is encouraging as much Christmas spirit as possible.
The concept of the water tower lighting itself was proposed around ten days before the lighting, proving a successful venture and willingness from the community. Originally, due to timing, Warren said the Commercial Club were to table the lighting for 2021. However, the excitement among members encouraged the group to take on the task and meet obstacles as they have come.
“[We] have been so delighted at how many people want to donate and to help however they can,” said Warren. “
The “best of” competition in Cambridge has two categories of business and residential. Best of show business winner will receive the traveling trophy award for the year, while the best of show residence winner will receive a holiday bouquet. Judging by the Cambridge Commercial Club is scheduled to take place on Dec. 18. Businesses or residencies wishing to participate are asked to submit a photo of the decorated structure, pet, car, etc. to the Cambridge Commercial Club.
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