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Special Holiday Edition 2016

BlueRibbonNews.com

Heath

Heath

Holiday in the Park

It was a festive evening as the Heath community 

welcomed Christmas at the city’s annual Holiday 

in the Park. Even a sudden rain shower that drove 

Santa inside to the Amy Parks Elementary 

cafeteria to visit with the children didn’t dampen 

the spirits of close to 1,000 attendees who came 

out to enjoy the food trucks, activity 

booths and live music on Dec. 2.

The city thanks everyone who made the evening 

possible, including Amy Parks Principal Megan 

Smith for offering a safe haven from the weather; 

city staff including the Public Works and Public 

Safety Departments; event volunteers including 

Rockwall-Heath students and NCL moms and 

daughters; Milestone Electric for sponsoring 

the photo booth; the National Charity League 

and Rockwall Women’s League for providing 

home-baked Christmas cookies; and the 

talented student performers. 

The city was also honored to welcome Lake Pointe 

Church’s Senior Pastor Steve Stroope, who gave 

the invocation even as rain began to douse the 

crowd, but not the Christmas spirit.

Submitted by City of Heath. Photos courtesy of RHHS 

interns Brendan Brooke, Dillan Lincoln and Zack Misheck, 

and Special Events Board Chair Jenni Knox.

i

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

The fun 

included 

letters to Sant

a, 

miniature train

 

rides and hot c

ocoa 

served with Ch

ristmas 

cookies home b

aked by 

Rockwall Wom

en’s League 

and National Ch

arity 

League memb

ers.

Mayor Brian Berry recognized He

ath Hawk 

junior Joseph Pabian, who design

ed 

and built the giant switch used t

o light 

the Christmas tree. The project 

involved learning to weld from 

Joseph’s grandfather, Richard Mu

ndt. 

Mayor Brian Berry recognized He

ath Hawk 

junior Joseph Pabian, who design

ed 

and built the giant switch used t

o light 

the Christmas tree. The project 

involved learning to weld from 

Joseph’s grandfather, Richard Mu

ndt. 

More than 65 volunteers helped present 

Holiday in the Park, including Micah Mata and 

Jett Stamps, who wore these sandwich boards 

all night. NCL moms and daughters also

provided over 40 volunteers.

The true heart and soul of Holiday in the Park are the 

amazing students and their directors. Participating this 

year: Rockwall-Heath High School Jazz Band, directed by 

Ben Sumrak; Cain Middle School Orchestra, directed by 

Marc Allison; Amy Parks Elementary Honor Choir, directed 

by Jan Stonestreet; and Pullen Elementary Honor Choir, 

directed by Chris Ghormley.

Mayor Berry’s sons, 

Brady, Brooks and Breck, 

pulled the switch for the 

official tree lighting as 

proud momma, Shelley, 

supported from stage left. 

Guests enjoyed tasty treats from 

food trucks under a canopy of lights 

designed by the Heath Public Works 

team, who also break down and store 

all of the lights and decorations.