Annual celebration moved for rain as Horseshoe tree is lit
It wasn’t quite the celebration they were hoping for, but more than 200 students, faculty, staff and community members gathered on the Horseshoe Tuesday evening to celebrate USC’s 58th annual Tree Lighting ceremony.
Inclement weather conditions forced organizers to move inside the Rutledge Chapel, where a smaller, substitute Christmas tree was lit, and the ceremony went on.
“You can’t duplicate the outdoors with the big tree, but they did the best they could with the forecast of rain,” said Dennis Pruitt, the vice president for student affairs.
The ceremony, hosted by Carolina Cares within the Office of Community Service Programs, dedicated the lighting to the organizations on campus that have done service -— at the university and throughout the community.
“We are stronger when we work together,” Student Body Vice President Chase Mizzell said. “I am incredibly proud to see the Gamecock family come together.”
Mizzell, who spoke at the ceremony, was joined by university first lady Patricia Moore-Pastides; Maj. Roger Coulson of the Salvation Army; Gina Tierney, the director of Carolina Cares; and school mascot Cocky. Coulson said the USC community had made big contributions to the Salvation Army’s work, including an annual drive that gives children who might not receive any gifts a stocking full of them.
“USC’s contribution to the Stocking Stuffers drive makes up 25 percent of the stockings [the Salvation Army] wants to give away this season,” Coulson said.
The five organizations recognized by Carolina Cares included Omega Phi Alpha sorority, Delta Zeta sorority, the Carolina Judicial Council, the American Marketing Association and the Capstone Scholars.
A representative from each organization put an ornament on the tree to represent their achievements and contributions over the year while USC’s female a cappella group, the Cocktails, sang traditional Christmas songs and the tree was lit.
“The whole ceremony really puts you in a holiday mood,” Pruitt said.
Besides spreading holiday cheer, each speaker encouraged students and community members to participate in service over the holiday season.
“It’s not about the pocketbook donation,” Moore-Pastides said. “It’s about the expression on your face. Whether it’s to a custodian or faculty member, we need to be a community arm in arm.”
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