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The story of a star

Dear Editor:I’m a member of the Basalt Lions Club and I’d like to tell a little story about the history of the Basalt Christmas Star that shines above the town every year at this time, and also to thank Ken and Cindy Everett for supplying the electrical power for the star.If you were in Basalt’s Lion Park at the time of the lighting of the Basalt Christmas tree and had hot chocolate from the Lions Pancake Wagon, you would have seen the Basalt Christmas Star shining in the east on Cemetery Hill. It is a gift to the people of Basalt from the Basalt Lions Club and from the Everetts who supply the electricity to light it.In 1960, the star was erected by three Lions: Roy Crowley, Phil Sterker and Hernon Hudson. It was lighted for that season and every season since. The star is 12 feet tall and is lighted by hundreds of 3-inch outdoor bulbs on several lighting strings. Lion Justin Rounsefell and a fellow Lion climb the hill each year to check the frame and replace any faulty light strings or bulbs. In the early years, the bulbs were colored, red or green or whatever. Currently they are white.In 1960, Holy Cross Electric had a power line on poles running to the hill top. The star was powered from that line. There was also the original Basalt TV tower on that hill. The Lions moved it to the crown, where it is now, south of Basalt.When Basalt South began to be developed, Holy Cross put their power lines underground and abandoned the line going up the hill. For years, the Lions got power for the star from the closest householder. In 1989 and since, the Everetts have been the closest and have generously provided the power for the star. They took on the responsibility to turn the star on and off, evenings and mornings, until they got a timer. It blew fuses frequently until Lion Rounsefell installed an industrial-type timer.And that’s the story of the Basalt Christmas star.Peter LarroweCarbondale