‘Sad’ Christmas tree turns out to be ‘blessing in disguise’ for Washington town

When 23-year-old Fritz Turner returned home to Newport, Washington, after several years in Texas, he was shocked by the poor state of the town’s public Christmas tree.

A few desultory vertical strands of red, white and green lights dangled off the Centennial Plaza tree at the entrance to downtown, KREM reported. That was it.

“I came back for my first Christmas and I was like, ‘Oh this is not gonna do, I’ll do anything to change this tree,’” Turner told the Inlander. “This is embarrassing.”

Partly in jest — at least originally — Turner created a GoFundMe page on Dec. 2 expressing mock outrage at the homely tree and seeking $5,000 to redecorate it.

“This tree is just sad,” he wrote. “We can do better. Even Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree looked better than this sad spruce.”

Turner’s plea for a holiday makeover goes on to jokingly claim the tree has lowered property values and driven away shoppers.

The GoFundMe drive had raised $2,760 of its goal by Sunday, Dec. 12, toward new lights for the 2022 holiday season, but the campaign has already borne fruit in other ways.

The local utility district rehung the lights on the tree and children at local middle and high schools donated handmade decorations for it, KREM reported.

For the first time in years, the Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce organized a tree-lighting ceremony Saturday, Dec. 11, KXLY reported.

“There’s been a huge community outcry to have the tree look better,” Jason Totland, chamber president, told the station. “It’s a blessing in disguise for sure.”

For his part, Turner says he’s been “inspired” by the outpouring of support, the Inlander reported.

“Together, we’re really powerful and can make a change in our community,” he said. “Even if it’s just something like a Christmas tree, which may not seem important, it can inspire other work to be done.”

Newport, population just over 2,000, is north of Spokane along Washington’s border with Idaho.