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Ribbons pay tribute to patriotic sacrifice
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Jackson EMC’s Pedro Arteaga uses a bucket lift Friday morning to place ribbons high atop the holly tree at the corner of Green and West Academy streets for the Phoenix Society. The red, white and blue ribbons are in honor of the Fourth of July holiday approaching, while the yellow ribbons are in support of all patriots across North Georgia. A special ribbon at the tree’s top is in remembrance of Maj. Kevin Jenrette, a National Guardsman killed June 4 while serving in Afghanistan. .500The Phoenix Society began the tradition during the first Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s.

Placing handmade red, white, blue and yellow ribbons on the large holly tree on the corner of Green and West Academy streets is an annual tradition of the Gainesville chapter of the Phoenix Society.

The bows are placed in honor of the Fourth of July holiday for the country’s service members. Also special this year is the bow at the top of the tree in honor of Maj. Kevin Jenrette of Lula, one of three Georgia Army National Guard soldiers killed June 4 in Kapisa, Afghanistan.

"The thought that someone from Gainesville would give the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, of course that is very near and dear to our heart," said Candace Turner, third vice president of the Phoenix Society.

Turner said the holly tree will be decorated through the end of July to honor service members as well as police officers and firefighters.

"The Phoenix Society started the tree back in the early ’90s during the first Gulf War, and at that time, we did the bows to of course support and honor the troops that we had at that time and it has been an annual project of ours ever since," Turner said. "This year we had expert help making the bows because we had the volunteers from the Gainesville-Hall County Senior Center, and there were approximately 15 to 20 of them who made bows."