Christmas at the Paul Anderson Memorial Park set for Thursday

The annual Christmas at the Paul Anderson Memorial Park and Tree Lighting will be held this week in downtown Toccoa.

Christmas at the Park has become an annual tradition that marks the beginning of the holiday season for Toccoa-Stephens County.

This year, the event will be held on Thursday, December 5.

According to Paul Anderson Park Board Member Samantha Rickman, this year’s festivities will include a silent auction, tree lighting, and the Varsity Food Truck will be on site serving dinner.

She says, on Thursday morning beginning at 10:30 a.m. the events will officially kickoff and run until the Christmas Tree lighting at 7 p.m.

Rickman says this annual event helps raise funds that go towards keeping the Paul Anderson Memorial Park open.

She says the Varsity food trucks will be on site all day; but tickets can be purchased ahead of time from one of the Paul Anderson Memorial Park Board Members.

The Paul Anderson Park was created some 10 years ago to remember one of Toccoa’s most famous sons who overcame physical issues to gain fame as an Olympic gold medalist in weight lifting and one of the world’s strongest men.

In the 1960’s he and his wife Glenda established the Paul Anderson Youth Home in Vidalia.

For more information on Christmas in the Park and on the life of Paul Anderson, you can visit the website at: www.paulandersonpark.org.