In early November, Willow Glen Elementary Parent Teacher Association President Alexandra Hoppe, along with Meduri Farms general manager Mario Meduri, went out to test the Christmas lights in preparation for the annual ceremony and found all the wires cut by vandals.

The story appeared in the Willow Glen Resident and businesses and residents rallied to make sure the tradition turned on without a hitch. The school received $1,500 toward the replacement of the Christmas lights.

"I received phone calls from people expressing their concern and willingness to help," Hoppe said. "This chain of events really brought out the community spirit."

Donors included Just Dinners, Pizza My Heart and KB Homes.

Tom Sweeney, director of land acquisition at KB Homes and a Willow Glen resident, informed John Coleman, director of government affairs at KB Homes, about the vandalism.

"We just thought it would be the right thing to do," Coleman said. "Vandalism could ruin an event for both the kids and community and if we could bring back some of that holiday cheer, we will step up to the plate."

KB Homes made a donation of $400 to the school.

"It's not the dollars. It's the sense of community that needed to be repaired," Sweeney said.

The Willow Glen Business and Professional Association and the Kiwanis Club of Willow Glen also donated money to help with the evening's events.

The vandalism ultimately turned into an opportunity, Hoppe added.

The school decided to take down the cut lights from the original tree on the corner of Minnesota and Lincoln avenues and restring a different evergreen.

"We decided to light the tree to the right of the old one because it was bigger and had more of a presence," Hoppe said.

Willow Glen Elementary School parent Dave Markam hired PMC Tree Services to put the lights up.

"Everything really came down to the wire," Hoppe said.

The school got district approval to have the tree company put up the new lights the evening of Nov. 29 and the company arrived Nov. 30 at 8:30 a.m. PMC Tree Services finished the job just in the nick of time, at 3:30 p.m. The celebration was scheduled for the next day.

The large "WG" that was in the original tree was taken down and retired due to its weathered condition, Hoppe said.

After Christmas carol performances by various groups, Hoppe and Tiffany Hurlburt, a fifth-grader and student council president, counted down with the crowd and connected the extension cords to light the tree.

The large crowd cheered and children screamed, as the glowing white lights lit up Minnesota Avenue.

The event also included a student council bake sale and the Scholastic book fair in the school library. Donation stations were set up to collect food and toys for Willow Glen families in need of extra help.

A cheerful Santa Claus was also at the community event, taking requests from boys and girls, thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Willow Glen.

"I'm just glad everything worked out," said Kiwanis Club of Willow Glen president Michael Rubino.

Hoppe said she was ecstatic by the turnout and support.

"I think it makes you realize the community does have a holiday spirit," she said. "This made people realize that it takes the effort of a whole community and not just the school. And all the work was well worth it."