Community collaboration hurried the process to light the tree in time for Christmas.

Pining for a return of the holiday decorations on a large tree at the La Jolla Rec Center, a small crowd gathered Dec 21 to witness the official flipping of the switch.

The tree, planted in 1984 by La Jollan George Dewhurst, founder of GDC Construction, and has been lit for the holidays annually until COVID and other factors paused the tradition.

In an unusually quick turnaround, members of La Jolla Sunrise Rotary, GDC Construction and city of San Diego staff corralled resources to light the tree this year.  

“It’s really clear that this is a wholehearted effort.” Rotarian Steve Cross said at the Dec 21 lighting. 

Cross thanked George’s son Pancho, current president of GDC Construction, for providing the labor and access to the cherry picker equipment that facilitated the tree decoration over three days.

Cross also thanked La Jollan Laura McDonald, who “was on this lift … up and down for a day and a half placing all these ornaments” and 8,300 lights, he said. 

Those gathered also received Cross’s gratitude for their donations of both time and money to make the tree lighting a reality. 

“This is an honor for me,” Pancho said, “because my dad planted the tree with the La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club 40 years ago.”

“We’re really happy to resurrect the tradition in La Jolla,” Pancho said.

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