A flooded-out town of Sanford lights up a night with holiday cheer

Sanford — A town that once sat along a lake held a holiday tree lighting Friday night.

This isn’t normally a big deal in the annals of municipal governance but, for Sanford, it felt titanic.

During a deluge in May, residents lost their lake and then they lost their town as floodwaters decimated homes and businesses.

They’re still clambering for some sense of normalcy and, on Friday, normalcy arrived with the stringing of lights on pine trees in a downtown that is looking more like a downtown every week.

“It feels good to celebrate something. It’s been a tough year,” said resident Missie Richards, wearing a necklace of Christmas lights.

The original plan for a celebration was to do something simple, said organizers. Put up a Christmas tree. Spark some joy during the holiday season. Bring some light to a community that has known a lot of dark days in the past six months.

The flash flood had caused the town's dam to fail, emptying Sanford Lake and destroying 27 homes and 16 businesses.

After being to hell and back, residents weren’t satisfied with a simple holiday party.

During the week, they began putting up more and more Christmas trees along the edges of a vacant lot just off downtown. Soon the pines were joined by others erected by businesses and churches and social organizations.

Instead of one Christmas tree Friday, there were 62 — all shrouded with lights and ornaments and messages of hope.

“This is spectacular,” village president Dolores Porte told a crowd of several hundred revelers. “Thanks for showing the love.”

One tree had sprouted arms, waving to passersby. One was toilet-papered, high school-style. Another seemed to be singing a Christmas song, “Let It Snow.”

Each Tannenbaum told the story of Sanford.

A youth sports league filled a pine with sports insignias, a fire department wrapped one in a firefighter’s outfit, and the lakefront property owners decorated one with items that were retrieved from the former lake — a paddle, an ice chest, a toy racing boat.

Despite all they had been through, residents said they had a lot to celebrate.

Homes are being resided and repainted. The post office has reopened. L.L. Accounting & Tax recently rehung its shingle. The gas station’s pumps may be humming again next year.

The shops are beginning to attract shoppers again.

“It’s providing hope to the residents,” said Chris Moultrup, director of business development for Three Rivers Corp. “Sanford will be coming back even stronger than before.”

Several firms and foundations contributed to a $1 million fund to rebuild three homes and three businesses in Sanford and Gladwin County, he said.

After losing so much, it was time for Sanford to claim something.

'People who are resilient'

The holiday celebration Friday began with a visit from Santa Claus because everyone, ravaged by a flood or not, could use a little magic in 2020.

Father Christmas and the missus arrived by the Northern Star, a locomotive look-alive, escorted by police cars and fire trucks with lights flashing and sirens blaring.

Santa, wearing a face shield, lit the 20-foot tree as the crowd cheered. A brass band played. Carolers caroled. Cookies and hot cocoa were dispensed.

The vibe was Christmas Past as residents looked forward to Christmas Future.

Porte, who grew up in a small town, said the denizens of such places are always eager to help each other.

“Those Hallmark movies are real,” she said. “We’re a village of people who are resilient.”

Some celebrants once lived here. Others planned to return one day. Still others had nothing to do with Sanford. They just wanted to help out in some way.

Besides the ones on foot, even more people stayed in their cars, settling for a drive-by viewing. The caravan of autos was nearly a mile long.

The motorists circled the lot of Christmas trees, snapping photos.

Flora wasn’t the only one dressed up. Every building in downtown boasted lights of various colors.

An American flag comprised of LED lights was surrounded by mounted red, white and blue stars. Real flags also lined the route.

To be sure, this is a town unfinished.

The tour of Christmas delights also showed the devastation visited upon the village in May.

Watermarks on some homes showed how high the flooding reached — four feet in some places. Concrete slabs still can be spied where homes once stood.

Sanford Hardware, which sat in the middle of downtown, is still a dirt lot.

But residents aren’t thinking about yesterday, only tomorrow.

Friday was just the beginning of the light show. The trees will continue to shine into the new year.

Among the decorations was an object near Sanford Dam, the one that burst and rained calamity on its surroundings.

It’s a six-foot red heart made from metal. It bears a message that residents embrace every time they drive past. “Sanford Strong,” it reads.

fdonnelly@detroitnews.com

(313) 223-4186

Twitter: @prima_donnelly