Planada community unites for Christmas tree lighting

Planada residents celebrated the beginning of the holiday season with the annual community Christmas tree lighting Thursday evening.

The event, organized by the Planada Christmas Cherish Memories group, took place at Houlihan Park, right outside the Planada Community Hall.

Alicia Rodriguez, founder of the group, explained that for the past five years the lighting has been dedicated to Planada youth. This year, the tree was lit in honor of Denise Flores, 18, who passed away earlier this year after losing her battle against cancer. Her parents, Olga and Adrian Flores, had the honor of flipping the switch on.

Olga Flores said she was thankful for the opportunity for the community to remember her daughter. “She would have loved this,” Flores said in Spanish.

She described her daughter as friendly and humble. Denise Flores was also remembered by Le Grand High School officials, who recognized her participation and leadership in the school’s Restorative Justice League.

The holiday tradition, Rodriguez explained, dates to the 1980s, when a group of ladies in the community started lighting the park tree. However, the ritual took a halt for some years but was restarted in 2010.

The tradition was revived after a peace walk in honor of Monica Garcia and Justin Gonzales, two Planada teens who were shot and injured in August 2010.

“The peace walk ended here at the park,” Rodriguez said. “We saw the Planada community unite like never before. … That year we dedicated the tree lighting to Monica and Justin.”

In previous years, the tree lighting has also paid tribute to Planada Elementary and Cesar Chavez Middle School for their high state test scores and to the Le Grand football team when it won its first section title in 2011.

Angie Gonzales, who has lived in Planada for 26 years, said she tries to come out every year for the lighting, and this time brought friends and family members with her. For her, the small event is a special way to unify the community and bring out positivity in a town that is many times defined by its violence, she said.

“Planada is not just about violence, but it’s also about events like these,” Gonzales said. “Actually, I wish we had even more events for the community to come together.”

“Planada is a small town,” she continued, “and we want it to stick together. … We want peace and unity.”

Holiday festivities in Planada will continue later this month. On Dec. 20, families are invited to Planada Elementary for an evening of free food, toys and photos with Santa.

This story was originally published December 4, 2014 at 9:33 PM with the headline "Planada community unites for Christmas tree lighting."