Festival of Trees plants itself into the courthouse

Debbie Merten arrived early to the courthouse on Monday morning to decorate her Christmas tree. By that time, no other local 4-H group was around, but others would soon follow her lead and have their displays ready for the annual Festival of Trees. Merten, a 4-H leader, very much looks forward to this time of the year.

Admittedly, she’s a fan of this merry holiday season.

"I just love Christmas time," Merten said. "But it's also for a good cause. Ours is for Care Bags. Hopefully, after things have calmed down we're going to get together and make some care bags to send out to kids. We have to get creative now that we can't have real stuff by our trees."

Like many other events this past year, the Festival of Trees is taking extra precautions to limit any potential spread of the coronavirus. Normally, the courthouse welcomes guests inside the building to see the decorated trees — which are often themed after nonprofits or charities.

However, elected officials have decided to close the building to sway any crowds from gathering inside, which would likely become a health hazard. Merten said the 4-H groups have had to adapt, too. Zoom meetings allow members to meet and plan remotely for upcoming events.

Festival of Trees will be set up from now until Dec. 28 at the courthouse.

So there’s still time for families to check out the trees setup both inside and outside the building. Merten said the tradition still remains strong, which is evident by the past crowds touring the courthouse rotunda. Festival of Trees, she said, adds to the community’s annual festivities.

“I’m glad they still have it this year, because I was worried it was not going to be,” Merten said. “So when I heard it was a go, I was excited.”

4-H is about the community, too, Merten added. Events such as the Festival of Trees are just as important for those participating in 4-H, especially during the holiday season. It teaches kids to give — whether it's with their time or a gift. Decorating trees can provide a valuable lesson.

“I just thankful we have a great county that supports 4-H,” Merten said. “We put on a great fair for such a small community. I’m just thankful to be part of that.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com