Every year since its planting in 1973 the tree in the Village Green has been decorated. Now its grown so tall that Station 69 Firefighters help hang the Christmas tree lights.
Vandals Destroy Village Green Lights
The Charlie Brown Christmas tree on the Village Green, which each holiday season is decorated with strings of lights, went dark this past week.
Circling the News received a December 20 email from Village Green Board member Marge Gold: “Unfortunately, earlier this week the lights on our ‘Charlie Brown’ pine tree were vandalized. Someone ripped a string of lights apart. Apparently, this break shorted out the fuses that are installed on the plugs on the strings and caused the entire tree to go dark. Efforts by a board member and a volunteer could not repair this.”
Gold was asked how much it would cost to repair the lights. “I have no idea about cost to repair,” she responded. “They need to be taken down and checked.”
The Village Green is a private park owned by the residents of Pacific Palisades and operates solely on donations. After money is spent on landscaping, lights, insurance, benches and the fountain, there is little money left in the fund for vandalism.
Gold was asked if perhaps Caruso’s security cameras or a guard across the street had observed any activity and she said, “We will check for security cameras, especially on Antioch, but I am not hopeful.”
The vandalism was reported to the LAPD. If anyone has any information, please contact the Green: info@palisadesvillagegreen.org or Pacific Palisades Senior Lead Officer Michael Moore: 27995@lapd.online.
A vandal(s) ripped a string of lights from the Village Green tree, causing them all to black out.
The amount of time and effort to put up these lights is borne by elderly volunteers, with the gracious help from Fire Station 69. Hours and hours were spent cleaning and sorting every bulb to make sure they were all bright and working well. I’m not sure we’ll be able to do this again next year. It is a loss to the whole community.
Okay–we’re finally to a point of needing an alarm system somehow attached to the light system on our Village Green Christmas Tree (the cost-O gosh!) I really can’t believe it would be so petty of anyone in the Caruso group-they’re too pro for that. But this was a very mean act and obviously planned, though probably quickly. In the disarray of our world in general right now this is “wrinkle.” SAD!
We can’t compete with the glitter from Mr. Caruso’s village, but we could enjoy the simplicity of our Charlie Brown tree.. and now we can’t. How sad.
Joan
There is no such thing as “we can’t”…….there is enough money in the Palisades to light up hundreds of trees….if a small group can create the HOHOHULLABALOO why not this one tree….
It is very disappointing that what some kids thought was funny, but never considered the consequences, has impacted the whole community. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these kids stepped up and paid to have the lights repaired? I’m not holding my breath…?