What do roasting marshmallows, models, and Christmas trees all have in common? The answer is a weekend event Dec. 6 and 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kent Tree Farm, located 9.5 miles south of Waynesburg on Route 218.
When the Marisa family purchased the property that abutted their existing property, they had a decision to make. What should they do with the many Christmas trees planted there?
Autumn Marisa Lexer said that the family members started talking about it and thought, why not continue to use it for that purpose?
It wasn't long before the free-flowing ideas led the family to pool their life experiences into a unique idea to promote the sales of their trees with a weekend extravaganza.
Lexer, the former Miss Pennsylvania, said that her family wanted to have an event at their new tree farm that would inspire that feeling of an old fashioned Christmas.
Marisa's parents, Rudy and Jacquelyn, have met a lot of people through their respective careers. Rudy met thousands in his long-standing career of coaching a highly successful Waynesburg College men's basketball program and Jacquelyn did equally as a nurse in the Central Greene School District. So, when the Marisa family calls in the troops that are their army of family and friends, things get accomplished.
"We wanted to paint a picture, sort of a Norman Rockwell-type event, complete with carolers, Christmas crafts, hot chocolate, food vendors and a wildlife artist," Lexer said.
"There is this great group of different people who will be there selling the trees like my brothers' friends from South Africa and the models [from the Andrea Patrick Forte Talent Agency]."
Forte was the 1978 Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Queen and is today owner of one of the most influential talent and modeling agencies in the country.
"This event is really going to kick off the season but people can go to the tree farm anytime to get a tree," Lexer said. "They just have to ring the doorbell at the house and Mr. Kent will help them with a tree."
However, they are really hoping for a large crowd in-person on the opening weekend, when 10 percent of the net proceeds are going to be donated to the Social Service League of Waynesburg. The Social Service League's mission at Christmas time is to provide gifts for children in need, something that the Marisa family has always supported and even done on their own.
"We chose the Social Service League because we grew up working with them every year," Lexer said. "As a family, we would pick a family to help out at Christmas who might not have the same opportunities that we had. I know it may sound clichéd, but that was a very special part of our Christmas each year and what Christmas really meant to us."
The giving doesn't stop with the donation to the Social Service League. The Marisas have already donated seven free trees in a drawing and they will be giving away seven more at the tree farm during their Christmas celebration. They have also donated trees to St. Ann Catholic Church in Waynesburg, National City Bank and the traditional tree for the Greene County Courthouse lawn.
"[The event is] real close to Waynesburg and I think people are going to love it. There is a lot of excitement building about it. We are open before and after the Waynesburg Christmas parade. We thought, what a great weekend to kick off the Christmas festivities," said Lexer. "I hope people come out and roast marshmallows, enjoy the free apple cider, visit with Santa and help us kick off the holiday season."
And of course, Lexer hopes that they find a tree among the thousands that are available for purchase.
All trees under seven feet tall are $25. Trees over seven feet tall are $35. It is cash-and-carry only. No credit cards are accepted. Trees will be cut, trimmed, wrapped and loaded at no additional charge to customers.
