Each year, the Pilot Club of Odessa and the Permian Basin Rehab Center team up to host the annual Christmas tree lighting at Optimist Park and this year will be no different.
This year’s lighting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at Optimist Park.
Each year, a patient from the Permian Basin Rehab Center is given the honor of lighting the Community Christmas Tree.
This year’s patient representative from Permian Basin Rehab Center is Jace Rodriguez.
“What it means for us is that we’re trying to create a healthy community with the services that the rehab center offers,” Chairwoman of the Christmas tree lighting Mary Blain said. “We know that there’s a lot of need in the community. With the Pilot Club, we’re trying to help out as much as we can.”
With a $10 donation, people can let a light shine on the tree in honor or in memory of someone.
Blain talked more about the partnership with the Pilot Club and the Permian Basin Rehab Center.
“With the Community Christmas Tree, that has been a good partnership with the rehab center,” Blain said. “Every time the rehab center sees a patient, there’s always a loss. We don’t make any money on that. We’re not here to make money, we’re here to serve the patient. We have a lot of patients that can’t even pay and even if they can, they’re going through financial issues. We offer all kinds of help. The Community Christmas Tree generally helps. We usually raise about $25,000 that we gather in a year to help with the services with the community.”
Donations can be made at the Permian Basin Rehab Center’s website at www.pbrehab.com or by calling 432-332-8244.
The event will also include the Nimitz Junior High School Choir performing.
Guests can also enjoy hot chocolate and cookies and Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be on deck.
“We’re going to have cookies and cocoa for everybody attending,” Blain said. “We’re going to have the choir with the music as well. At the end of the evening when this is over, we’re going to have Jace have a wand and point at the tree and light the tree. It’s so beautiful. It’s fast. We hope everyone comes out. It’s very nice.”
For more information, go to tinyurl.com/bdfw52ws.
If you go
- What: Community Christmas Tree.
- When: 6 p.m. Dec. 5.
- Where: Optimist Park.
