Nov 17, 2003 By Angie Santello 5 min read

Bright lights decorating a 12-foot Christmas tree and street lamp ornaments hung on Route 40 poles will illuminate the evening with the pull of a handle around 6 p.m. at the 4th annual Light-Up Night in Hopwood Friday. The only lights that will not brighten the roadway are street pole lamps put in place during Phase II of the Hopwood Village Project. At the project meeting held Thursday in the South Union Township Municipal Building, project members said a contract is complete with Allegheny Power to energize or hook the lights into a live wire, but company crews have failed to perform the work because of a manpower shortage due to storms in the north.

Though disappointed, project President Al Botti looked on the bright side.

“We won’t see lights on the 21st, but it will be soon afterwards and we could have another celebration,” he said.

People from inside and outside Hopwood are part of the 400 to 500 people who attended the event last year. Activities committee member Patty Tobal and project members are this year expecting the same number, which they consider highly successful for a community event such as Light-Up Night.

“The support from the community is tremendous,” said Tobal. “People seem to do just anything they can to help out.”

The fun starts at 5:30 p.m. with a streetlight dedication ceremony, recognizing residents, businesses, state representatives, grant suppliers and foundations that helped to pay for the streetlights. Following the dedication will be an invocation and benediction by local pastors.

“A light dedication and a light-up will start the beginning of the Christmas season,” said Jim Tobal, member of the activities committee.

The 12-foot tree, dubbed “the Strawberry Tree” because Hopwood resident John Strawberry donated it, was planted on a portion of Dr. Robert Bigham’s property that he donated so the tree will stay in the same spot, growing each year. Students at Hutchinson Elementary School created ornaments for the tree.

Those wishing to help decorate the tree can join Laurel Highlands students Wednesday around 3 p.m.

At 6 p.m. Friday, the lighting of the tree will take place, followed by performances from the Laurel Highlands High School Jazz Band, the St. John’s R.C. Church Children’s Choir, the Brownfield Methodist Church Youth Choir and the Uniontown Chorale.

At 7 p.m., Santa will arrive in a fire truck with his elves to pass out treats donated by the Amvets Post 103 in Hopwood and to listen to the children’s wish lists, while the Laurel Highlands Middle School Band will play accompaniment upon the anticipated guest’s arrival.

All entertainment will be held at the Hopwood Center parking lot across from the Herring Dairy Store & Restaurant. In case of inclement weather, festivities will be relocated to the Hopwood Fire Station.

Christmas flags, American flags and flower boxes decorated with pine tree branches and berries, line the streets where restaurants and gift shops, including the newly opened Hopwood Variety Store, will remain open during the ceremonies.

National City bank will offer visitors hot apple cider and cookies free of charge.

“The idea is to bring people to Hopwood, to have a good time, then spend some money at our shops,” Tobal said.

Tobal said local legislators were invited to the ceremonies.

All visitors are encouraged to park at the Hopwood Social Hall near the Hopwood Free Methodist Church.

In their most recent effort, a group of Laurel Highlands High School seniors volunteered their time to create T-shirts with the slogan “Hopwood: America’s Best Kept Secret” to be worn at special events. The senior students are working on a senior project, in which they must complete community service.

“I think it gives them an identity in all of this,” said Patty Tobal.

“What they do is enhancing the community,” added Jim Tobal.

Tobal said Hopwood’s slogan used to be “The Pearl of the Pike,” but now project members like the new slogan better than the old. Botti said he will treasure his T-shirt, as he carefully folded it on the table.

In addition to Light-Up night, project members also addressed the Periwinkle shops closing for the season, while Al Botti announced his resignation from his post as president of the Hopwood Village Project.

His resignation will take effect after the January meeting so he can be present for budgetary matters and to sign contractual agreements.

Botti said although he is resigning from his post, he is not abandoning the project. Instead, he will take a position on the worker’s bench comprised of the various committees.

“I just want the people and the community to know that I am not abandoning them,” said Botti. “I will still be intensely involved with the project.”

He asked those gathered at the meeting to fill the opening for president exclusively at their discretion.

Jim Tobal said it will be hard to fill Botti’s shoes.

“Al is so special,” said Tobal. “I know we couldn’t have gotten this far without Al. … He set the standard so high. It has been a full-time job for him for the last five years.”

The Hopwood Village Project consists of three phases geared toward making the corridor – the section of Route 40 running through Hopwood – look like it did during the 19th century.

Phase I, the streetlights, will be completed as soon as the lights are energized.

Phase II, the sidewalks, is currently in the planning stages.

Phase III, beautification of the corridor, is the project’s final stage.