Hamlin Christmas tree a true original

It had been a longtime dream of Boyd Development Events and PR Coordinator Heather Easterling to have a community Christmas tree to light in Hamlin.

And now, that dream is a reality.

Even better: The tree is a true original.

The community celebrated the lighting of the tree at Christmas at Hamlin: A Festival of Holiday Traditions, held Saturday, Dec. 7.

The custom piece, designed by Boyd Development’s Paul Schumacher and Mike Keyse, was built primarily from steel pipe. It measures 24 feet, and the bottom comprises 12 branches with a diameter span of 16 feet. There are 288 linear feet of 3/32 branded cable running from the top down connecting all the branches, and the tree features about 4,000 lights.

The base is constructed of 16 4-feet-by-6-feet-by-12-feet treated beams. Forty-eight sand bags hold it down. 

“We have appropriately 175 man hours in the design, building, assembly and building the base and fence,” Easterling said.

Along with Keyse, Esvin Sosa and Anna Sosa worked together to make all the pieces. 

Keyse, Esvin Sosa, Jose Ganzales and Rubin Munoz assembled it on top of the parking deck. Esvin Sosa and Keyse strung all the lights on the tree, and Anna Sosa and Nehemiah Sosa filled and placed all the sand bags.

“It was a total team effort to get it ready for Saturday,” Easterling said.