In a Dec. 2 Facebook post, the fire district said it would come back bigger and better in 2026. Instead, a new tree arrived much sooner than expected.
“It was not even five minutes after we posted our Christmas tree being scrapped, local businessman James Dabney donated a 13-foot Douglas fir,” the district posted on Facebook Dec. 5.
After receiving the tree donation from Dabney, who owned East River Smokehouse, a Christmas Tree business and other businesses, the fire district was joined by Darrell Bailey of 87 Garage, a mechanic’s shop on Highway 87 South, and Kevin Bevers, who brought the tree and a lift to mount it on top of the station.
The tree has since been adorned with Christmas lights and a star.
