CARBONDALE (WSIL)--If you take a walk around SIU's Campus Lake, you might have noticed some ornaments hanging on the tree branches.
This tree decorating has become an unofficial tradition over the last few years.
And it all started, with one tree.
"For the first couple years, it was the only tree that got decorated. And I had no idea who was putting the ornaments on. And one year it even had little battery operated LED lights, and it was really pretty. And I just got really good feed back on it," said SIU Grounds Department Laborer Scott Wright.
Unfortunately, Patty Davis was walking around the lake one day to see that most of the ornaments had disappeared.
"We found out that the ornaments were all gone. Someone had evidently taken them from the lake path," said Davis.
But Davis saw an opportunity.
"I told my friends I was trying to channel my inner Cindy Lou Who to try and find that kindness in my heart to not be upset about it and find more joy," said Davis.
Davis invited her Pre-K class and their families to come out to social distance while decorating the path with new ornaments.
"Everybody had bags of ornaments and we hung somewhere between 175 to 200 ornaments on the trail. And the kids loved it," said Davis.
Davis says her class cannot take credit for the tradition, but they love the joy it brings to the people who walk the lake.
"We can't take credit for it, but we just love it so much and appreciate how happy it makes people feel, that we just wanted to be a part of that," said Davis.
"It is absolutely beautiful. Everybody comes back and talks about how pretty it is. And I hope it continues. I would like to see it grow a little bit more and families come out and participate," said Wright.
But Davis has one hope for when the holiday season ends.
"I hope people come back to help pick them up after the holidays or Scott's gonna have his hands full trying to get all these ornaments collected," said Davis.
