Success Story: Christmas Trees from Around the World

Whitley County is a unique county nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. According to Datausa, the population is 96% white with eight races and ethnicities represented. The Fine Arts agent, Cortney Moses, has a responsibility to search out this cultural diversity in her county and present it in a way that is inviting and educational for the community. She did this through Christmas Trees from Around the World event.

For the event, Cortney partnered with the Whitley County Family and Consumer Sciences agent to provide nutrition education and local government to coordinate the event to coincide with the annual Christmas parade. She also partnered with the director of International Student Services at the University of the Cumberlands to solicit student participation in order to gain Christmas knowledge from across the globe. The volunteers were provided with real trees and decorations, when needed, to decorate based on their country’s traditions. The trees were purchased locally and the proceeds went to support a local baseball fundraiser. Over 130 participants and 50 youth attended the event. They had a chance to learn about four different countries and their unique Christmas traditions. Countries included were Germany, Chile, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Island of Kiribati in the South Pacific, and an Appalachian tree and Hillbilly tree to showcase our local culture. The Fine Arts staff also provided a program-inspired art tree. During the event participants took part in a community art project where they had the opportunity to paint a seven-foot-tall, white, artificial tree. Anyone could pick a limb, a color, and paint!

The Christmas Trees from Around the World program provided the community with a free opportunity to learn about diversity within the county. They learned about new cultures and more about their own. Families interacted and communed together, made art, and were introduced to the extension service and its programs. This program inspired people to reflect on their community.