The singing Christmas tree ends in high note

The Singing Christmas Tree at the Calvary Temple in Brandon has attracted more than 2,000 people and has also helped some local charities.

The program started for the first time in Brandon in 1974. The Calvary Temple singer's Christmas tree is a 50-voice choir that fills a huge lighted tree bringing home the clear Christmas message to the community.

Each presentation also includes a children's choir, a drama and special effects.

This year's Christmas tree was held last weekend. The pastor Vern Kratz helps to coordinate the program and is also in the choir. "We're still exhausted, but it was such a rewarding and wonderful weekend and we're so excited about how it went."

The choir of adults and young people and the children's choir made six presentations and performed before a full house.

"Almost every presentation was filled and, unfortunately, we had to push people away in four of the presentations and in the four days we had probably around 2,400 people come through our doors," Kratz said.

An offer of free will was taken to help cover the costs and 10 percent of that money was sent to the traditional Christmas dinner at Westman and Area. "We raised about $ 11,000, so we're sending just over $ 1,000 to the dinner, people also brought non-perishable food for the aid mine and needed a truck and several people to take away all those donations" .

Among all the choirs that have performed this year, the Singing Christmas Tree has hosted over 90 people from 13 churches in the area. The drama included seven other people.