Christmas lights return to tree on Main St.

The large Blue Spruce on the south side of P1FCU in the 500 block of South Main Street was decorated by volunteers Monday and lights were applied. Colfax FFA students, an Avista crew and others worked on decorating the tree along with bank staffers and volunteers. Westside Pizza provided 14 pizzas.

Mike Damery of Damery Landscaping in Colfax reported Monday he planted the tree in 2003 as memorial to Garfield farmer Tom Pennell. The memorial project was launched by Pennell's wife, Jan Pennell, as a tribute to her husband who died the previous year. Jan Pennell is now also deceased.

Their son, Roger Pennell, was present Monday and joined the festivities.

Damery noted the tree is a Shiner sub variety of Blue Spruce which brings out the bluest blues of the variety. He added when the tree was planted, Washington Mutual was located on the site.

The tree was strung with 24 strings of lights, each with 200 lights.

Damery said during its first years, an extension cord from the bank was used to light it, but as it grew an electrical service box was installed near the tree.

Mr. Pennell was a tree enthusiast all of his life.

Potlatch No. 1 Federal Credit Union, which opened at the site this year, moved to return lights to the tree this year at the encouragement of Steve Larkin, city parks director. He noted Main Street for several years lacked a live Christmas tree display.