Volunteers sought for holiday decorating

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Downtown is getting decked out for the winter holidays – and organizers behind those efforts could still use a few more volunteers this weekend and next.

This week, the City’s facilities maintenance team installed a Christmas wreath and colored string lights around the top of Roseburg City Hall and the Roseburg Public Safety Center, while Douglas County staff decorated the courthouse and the towering evergreen in the front lawn. Strands of white lights now illuminate the front window of City Hall’s lobby.

Downtown businesses are also decorating before “Shop Small Saturday” is held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, and Douglas County’s Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony is held at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, at the courthouse. The Umpqua Valley Farmers’ Market will be involved with “Shop Small Saturday” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 29.

On Sunday, Nov. 23, City Councilor Zack Weiss, in partnership with an emerging nonprofit, Destination Downtown Roseburg, is overseeing installation of about 30 holiday wreaths throughout downtown. Weiss and Douglas Fast Net are still seeking volunteers who will install the wreaths on the City’s ornate lampposts using ladders donated by Sims Electric.

Folks who want to help install the wreaths can email Weiss at zweiss@roseburgor.gov or just show up at the starting point in the parking lot at Jackson and Douglas Ave., across from City Hall, at about 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23.

“One hundred percent -- If they show up, we will absolutely put them to work,” Weiss said.

Weiss and other Garden Valley Church members restrung the wreaths. Weiss ordered 3,000 commercial-grade lights that will arrive in time to be put up on Jackson Street on Sunday, Nov. 30, before the county’s tree lighting ceremony. 

The City is funding the lighting purchase after the Council OKed $5,000 for downtown holiday lights or other equipment.

Local businesses are loaning equipment to enable Weiss and volunteers to install 6,000 feet of string lights in trees that day. A local tree service, Trees/Brush+ Us, is providing a bucket truck and United Rentals is loaning a tow-behind boom lift, said Weiss.

Volunteers who want to help string lights can email Weiss or show up at the Jackson Street and Douglas Avenue parking lot at 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 30.

Weiss said the scramble to get wreaths and lights up in time is “kind of a blessing” -- despite having to cobble together a new plan and recruit new volunteers -- because the effort has led to the formation of a group and process that will be sustainable and able to grow in the future.

“We’ve got a lot of cool community support coming together to make this happen,” Weiss said.

In addition, Destination Downtown Roseburg is accepting donations to buy lights that can be used next year and beyond to expand holiday lights to Main Street and extend lights north up Jackson Street and past Roseburg Public Library to Diamond Lake Boulevard.

“I want everywhere in the downtown district to get lit up. That’s the goal,” added Weiss, who owns downtown-based Happy Days Body Art.

Email zweiss@roseburgor.gov for more information about donations.

Learn more about on “Shop Small Saturday” and Douglas County’s 42^nd annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, which is co-sponsored by the City of Roseburg and First Christian Church.