STEPHANIE THOMPSON
A LOXTON Christmas committee is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, with preparations under way to mark the occasion.
Loxton Christmas Lights Committee chairperson Peter Mangelsdorf said he hoped the significant milestone allowed for a reunion.
“We hope we can have a get together of the past 30 years of committee members and painters,” he said.
The committee plans to also celebrate the anniversary with new festive lighting near the rotunda and main street trees.
Loxton council formed the committee after Doug and Heather Falland started Santa’s Walk and Peter Mangelsdorf created Christmas Wonderland in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Mr Mangelsdorf and current vice chairperson and assistant secretary Connie Kelly are the only original committee members.
“I was asked if I would come and take the minutes and I said, ‘Okay, but that is all I am doing’ and here I am 30 years later,” Mrs Kelly said.
The committee recently welcomed Loxton woman Connie Dziwoki to the team as secretary.
“Connie runs her own tourism business and will bring a wealth of knowledge to our committee,” Mr Mangelsdorf said.
Meanwhile, Mr Mangelsdorf said former committee secretary Pat West, who died last month and retired from the committee last year, would be a “huge” loss.
“We need four people to take over what she did,” he said.
“Pat had a great impact on our committee and credit goes to her for Loxton receiving three South Australian Tourism Awards in 2006, 2007 and 2009, plus many other accolades.”