Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
If you are looking for a Christmas tree, the local Morning Optimist Club has 700 trees and different size wreaths available.
The money also goes to local organizations.
"We give away somewhere around $14,000 for youth activities," said Dan Woods, Optimist Club. "All the money stays in town for youth activities."
Organizations that benefit include Little League baseball, soccer, the Beaman Home, Warsaw Community High School band, Pee Wee Football, bicycle safety, an essay contest, Kosciusko Leadership Academy, Baker Youth Clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Art in the Park, Tri-Star basketball, and Punt, Pass and Kick for football.
Optimist members sell the trees on the lot by Owen's Supermarket, East Center Street, Warsaw. They began selling the trees the day after Thanksgiving. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 9 p.m.
Trees and wreaths range in price from $20 to $25. They will be sold until the Optimists sell them out or until Dec. 17. Any trees or wreaths that aren't sold will be donated to organizations to provide them to the needy.
Woods said, "We sell almost all of them."
This is approximately the 38th year for the Optimist Christmas Tree sale. "Each member (of the Optimist Club) works one shift for four hours," said Woods.
The 700 trees were unloaded the day after Thanksgiving at 7 a.m. in near-freezing weather. It took 70 men 20 minutes to unload all the trees, Woods said.
The holiday season will begin Saturday with the Warsaw Morning Optimist and Warsaw Community Octagon Clubs' Santa House on the southeast corner of the courthouse lawn.
The Santa House will be there every weekend until Christmas weekend. This Saturday the house will be open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. For the rest of the weekends up until Christmas, including Christmas Eve, the house will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
The Optimist House is for children to tell Santa what they want for Christmas.
"It's just an opportunity for the kids to talk to Santa," said event coordinator Paula Bowman of Kaleidoscope.
Bowman said the doors of the Lake Theater will open at 9:30 a.m. Saturday for the holiday "Magic Movie" and special guest.
At 10 a.m. a magician will entertain the audience until the movie, "Anastasia," is shown at 10:30 a.m. Admission to the event is free with a donation of a nonperishable food item for the Salvation Army food pantry.
The fun will continue in the afternoon at Center Lake Pavilion, where Santa's Workshop will be set up. Starting at 1 p.m., children can play games, do Christmas shopping for their parents and get their gifts wrapped. Since the children will be shopping for their parents, no parents are allowed in Santa's Workshop. Gift wrapping is provided by Tri Kappa members, and the afternoon will be highlighted by "an additional special guest" at 3 p.m., said Bowman.
This year Central Park will not be lit until Dec. 11 so the Twinkle Light Parade won't be held.
