Sunrise Parks to hold inaugural tree lighting at Rusch Park

By Sara Beth Williams–
New this year, in addition to the city’s annual tree lighting at City Hall on Dec. 5, the Sunrise Recreation and Park District is planning a separate inaugural tree lighting ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 7.

The holiday event at Rusch Park is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. and will include a tree lighting, photo opportunities with Santa Claus, and hot cocoa and cookies served by the Citrus Heights Kiwanis Club, according to Senior Recreation Coordinator for special events Tori Thorpe.

Thorpe said the park district has wanted to do a tree lighting for some time. After coordinating with the Sacramento Tree Foundation, a new tree was gifted to the park and planted in front of the community center in view of Auburn Boulevard. The tree appears small now, but, Thorpe said as the district continues to do annual tree lighting events, the tree will grow and become bushier.

Thorpe hopes the event will draw residents from across the Sunrise Recreation and Park District, which includes Antelope and Foothill Farms along with Citrus Heights.

The holiday tree lighting event is sponsored by SacTown Real Estate, Precision Orthodontics, Mathnasium of Citrus Heights, and Amazon Fresh, who will all have vendor booths. As well, a red mailbox will be available during the event for kids who want to drop off letters to Santa.

Thorpe said the park district is also running a toy drive for children who are in the NICU and PICU at Sutter Health in Roseville. A donation box will be available beginning this week at the Rusch Park Community Center on Auburn Boulevard and will also be available for donation drop-off during the tree lighting ceremony. The district is asking for new, unwrapped toys to be donated.

For more information about the Rusch Park tree lighting, visit the event page here. More information about the Dec. 5 tree lighting, which will be from 6-8:30 p.m. at City Hall, can be found here.