A blue spruce is being harvested from Roger and Patricia Gadda's home in De Pere for the Festival of Lights at Lambeau Field, November 27, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A late Green Bay Packers fan’s holiday dreams are coming true thanks to a De Pere couple.
The Packers harvested its Festival of Lights tree from a yard on Horseshoe Drive in De Pere Monday.
The blue spruce will be the centerpiece of Lambeau Field’s Harlan Plaza and decorated with thousands of lights.
The tree was donated by Roger and Patricia Gadda in memory of the previous homeowner, Tom, who was a lifelong Packers fan and passed away a few years ago.
The Gaddas say Tom always dreamed that one day, his tree would be selected to be displayed in front of Lambeau Field. Every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Tom and his grandsons made a tradition out of decorating the tree to perfection with thousands of lights. Everyone in the neighborhood felt that the tree being displayed this year at Lambeau Field would be an excellent final tribute to a great neighbor.
As a thank you for their donation, the Gaddas will receive four tickets to the Packers-Buccaneers game on Dec. 17.
The tree will be lit for the first time during the 17th annual Festival of Lights at Lambeau Field, on Saturday, Dec. 2.
The family-themed event, free to the public, will begin at 5 p.m. in the Lambeau Field Atrium, and feature holiday movies and cartoons, holiday card making, cookie decorating, area high school choirs performing holiday music and photo opportunities with Santa Claus.
Volunteers will also be on hand during the event to collect toys and donations for Toys for Tots. Families attending Festival of Lights are encouraged to donate new, unwrapped toys to help families in need this holiday season.
At 6:30 p.m. the event will move out onto Harlan Plaza for the formal lighting of the tree.
Comments