The community tree lighting ceremony in Hopkinsville is set for Friday afternoon, and the person who will flip the switch on the tree has been announced by Parks and Recreation.
Jack Shaheen and his family are relative newcomers to Hopkinsville, and his mother Tammy says they were thrilled when approached about flipping the switch, as Jack loves participating in big events, and thanks to his love of interacting with buttons, he was a perfect pick for the job.
She says Jack does have some disabilities that keep him from participating in events like others get to, but when they asked Jack if he wanted to take part in the tree lighting, he was all in.Â
In a video on social media, Tammy says they’ve really enjoyed making a home in Hopkinsville, where people have been welcoming and accepting of Jack’s differences.
The tree lighting ceremony is set to take place Friday at Founders Square in downtown Hopkinsville at 6 p.m. There will be a brief ceremony and some holiday music, before Jack flips the switch, lighting up the Christmas tree and ushering in the holidays to Hopkinsville.