Strings of white lights wrap around a 12-foot evergreen tree in front of Binghamton High School. This tree isn’t your typical holiday decoration. Instead, it’s a reminder for all BHS students as well as the entire community.
“This tree lighting ceremony is used to bring about awareness during the holiday season to prevent drinking and driving,” said BHS senior Jaedan Rankin.
This is the 31st year that Binghamton High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) lit the Tree of Life. The lighting ceremony was opened and closed with songs sung by the BHS Davidge Choir.
There’s an increased risk of impaired and distracted driving during the holiday season. Any time a fatal, impaired-driving accident occurs in Broome County while the tree is lit, a bulb on the tree is replaced.
“In the case that a person is killed in a DWI/DUI accident in Broome County, a white bulb will be replaced by a red bulb. Our intention is to never add another red bulb to that tree,” Rankin added
Since the tradition began in 1993, a red bulb has only been added once - in 2021.
Since 1996, the Tree of Life has been dedicated to the memory of Katie Titus, a Binghamton High School student and active member of SADD who passed away that year in a non-impaired motor vehicle accident.