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Week of November 24, 2022
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
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VOLUME 39 | ISSUE 18
Santa visits Lakewood for 8th annual mayoral tree lighting
Heroic act emerges from deadly Lakewood fire BY CAROL MCKINLEY THE DENVER GAZETTE
Lakewood Mayor Adam Paul at the annual mayoral tree lighting ceremony with Camp Christmas creator Lonnie Hanzon and Santa PHOTOS BY ANDREW FRAIELI Claus. BY ANDREW FRAIELI AFRAIELI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Santa Claus has come early this year, bringing Lakewood’s annual mayoral Christmas tree lighting, Camp Christmas and a flaming metal owl. “It tastes like rainbows,” said fouryear-old Alexandra Fabian about her treat, ecstatic that Santa had waved to her at the eighth annual tree lighting on Nov. 15. Lakewood Mayor Adam Paul spoke to the crowd of almost a hundred about holiday wishes and community, while Lonnie Hanzon — the creator of Camp Christmas — spoke on his excitement of this being the opening night of its second year. Four years old in total, Camp Christ-
mas has only been brought into reality the last two years, previously living through his imagination and, more recently, shipped gift boxes, according to Hanzon. Hosted at Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, Hanzon described how excited he was that his physical plans for his creation fit almost perfectly with the park. He also said that through the 42 years that Lakewood has been hosting Christmas events of some kind, the city has collected some giant decorations that fit right in. “It’s like collecting Christmas decorations but in a really big way,” Hanzon joked. The highlight of the annual tree lighting for Paul is community
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 14 | LIFE: PAGE 16 | CALENDAR: PAGE 19
—“neighbors knowing neighbors.” He also points to the annual lighting of the large metal owl, Hin Han, created by Josh Birkmaier. “It’s not your traditional mayoral tree lighting,” Paul continued. It’s a favorite of Lakewood resident Josh G. though, who’s come both years now with his wife Lana and one-yearold Lucas. “It’s kind of weird, but it’s cool,” he laughed. Camp Christmas is open fully from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 17 to Dec. 24. Tickets can be purchased online at denvercenter.org/tickets-events/campchristmas/#/.
When a Halloween morning fire broke out in Lakewood’s Tiffany Square apartments, units 49, 47 and 45 were doomed. “When I opened the door, I looked left and there was fire. I looked right and there was fire,” said Tevon “T” Thomas. “It was like hell. I kind of snapped into fight or flight and it was flight.” The second floor on the northwest side of the L-shaped complex was burning so hot and fast, residents had less than 15 minutes to get out. It was 4 a.m. “The flames were already in my son’s room and started spreading,” said Ayoncee’ Hicks who was also in apartment 49. “I panicked and started screaming.” Ayoncee, 21, said it was luck that she let Thomas crash on her couch Sunday night. If not for his quick thinking, she believes she and her baby boy would not have lived. “I panicked and started screaming. The fire was already coming into the living room,” she told The Denver Gazette from her aunt’s home where she and 19-month-old Demarion are staying as they wait for assistance. As wood crackled and split, Thomas kicked out a bedroom window screen and gripped the ledge with his left hand. His held on like a character in an action movie while Hicks put Demarion in the crook of his right arm. Then he let go.
SEE TREE LIGHITNG POHOTOS ON P2
SEE FIRE, P4
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Hometown Holidays In this week’s paper!