After two days of work, 140 stands of light are strung, 2,000 ornaments are hung and the star has been placed atop the 42-foot-tall Holiday Tree in front of Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.

Barry Gump of Andy Gump Inc. and his daughter Nancy were hoisted into the air to place the star on top of Henry Mayo’s holiday tree Thursday afternoon.

“It’s about celebrating the spirit of Christmas, but also celebrating the gift of this community,” said Nancy Gump, Vice President of Andy Gump Inc.

This year, families from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation are being honored, and they took part in Thursday’s tree topping ceremony.

The Gumps were joined in the bucket crane by company sales manager Thomas Field and 6-year-old Levi Davenport, who said he enjoyed the ride all the way to the top.

The tree will be magically lit by Santa Claus on Sunday at 5 p.m. during the 27th annual Community Tree Lighting celebration.

The event is free and open to the public and includes holiday entertainment, children’s activities and crafts, treats and Santa Claus photos from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m..

ABOUT HENRY MAYO

Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is a 238-bed not-for-profit acute care hospital serving the Santa Clarita Valley since 1975. Services include trauma, emergency, intensive care, maternity, surgery, nursing, wound care, behavioral health, and acute rehab, as well as cancer, cardiology, imaging, lab, digestive, respiratory services and physical and occupational therapies. Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is located at 23845 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355-2083. For more information, visit www.henrymayo.com or call 661-253-8000