Sandy White is up early on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, unraveling extension cords. Next, he and six other men — Arnie Sturham, Mike Juneau, Bob Grimm, Tom Bryant, Howie Paine and Paine’s stepson, John Zheng — tackle the van, unloading parts. And within a few hours, Winslow Way’s stars and scrolls are up and glowing.
Fifteen years in, they’ve got the system down pat.
“It’s really smooth,” Paine said.
He shows up every holiday to lead the effort in honor of his friend, Bob Cederwall, who inspired and coordinated all sorts of merry-making in downtown Bainbridge.
As an expert tree surgeon, Bob Cederwall was constantly climbing. But every three years, he’d make a special trek up the fir near his wife’s downtown studio, pockets packed with bulbs.
About 30 feet up, he’d encounter the extension cord that’s perpetually plugged into an outlet at Flying Penguin Design.
And another 90 feet or so, he’d reach his target: a 5-foot wide star, encased in tape from its many years of wear and tear at the summit. He’d replace the burned-out parts and then be on his way, the tall tree sufficiently crowned.
Cederwall’s next holiday scheme, certainly less hair-raising, came by way of Dana Berg.
Berg was in Paris one December, mesmerized by the twinkling lights on Rue Cler, the cobblestone market street outside her apartment. That’s when she decided Bainbridge needed some luster.
“There are over 70 streets in Paris that have lights across them,” her husband Bart explained. “It’s very dramatic the way they do it. It’s artsy, designed to the space. You get pretty encouraged by how things look.”
Berg set to work with her friend Bob, and “after much research, measuring and decision-making,” Bob’s wife Denise recalled, “their plan came to fruition.”
Berg, who owned Dana’s Showhouse at the time, made the purchase and rounded up other merchants to help cover the costs.
The first year, they had just two stars and scrolls, Bart said. But eventually, the display grew to seven, stored in the Berg’s garage. After fix or six years, Bob took over, and added another tradition: the annual “screwing party.”
It was more innocent than it sounds.
“They’d fix all the lights from previous years,” Denise said.
When Bob passed away three years ago, there was some question if the tradition would continue. They were supposed to put the stars and scrolls up six days later, White recalled. Paine had to scour the property for all the pieces.
“It was chaos!” he said. “I don’t know where he keeps his stuff. I had to comb through his truck and into his personal belongings and several outbuildings.”
But it was perhaps helpful for the grieving.
“It was creepy and enjoyable at the same time, just reminiscing about all the good times we had,” Paine said.
Bob’s parting gift to the island was another festive plot featuring his wife. A month before he died, Denise said he volunteered her to decorate the tree at Madrone Lane.
“The first year we all kind of badmouthed Bob as we were putting it up because it was kind of a hassle,” she laughed.
But now, on year three, it’s a book club tradition.
Last year, Andie Mackin, former executive director of the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association, received a Rotary grant to strip, powder coat and completely rewire the stars and scrolls with new wide angle LEDs.
The gang fixed up Bob’s star, too. It needed it badly.
“He must have used 10 rolls of electrical tape to hold that thing together,” Paine said. “But now it’s killer!”
New this year is a memorial star by Winslow Green, dedicated to Bob and Dana, who passed away in April.
“It’s a reminder of two incredible individuals who were always about the, ‘OK, we can do that!’” Denise said.
