Origins
The Sentinel has been covering the event since 1992 when the civic association first hosted the lighting of the Christmas tree and luminaries at Childrenâs Lake. The idea for the event dates back to 1987 when the late Molly Garman, an association member, saw a Christmas tree floating on a lake during a trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan.
For the next five years, Garman led the effort to have a fully lighted Christmas tree floating on Childrenâs Lake. It took time for the association to receive approval from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, owner of the lake. Lou Marinacci, a former Army engineer, designed the first wooden raft used to float the tree.