Despite the calendar reading October, a feeling of jolliness and goodwill engulfed the members of IBEW Local 38, who volunteered their weekend time to decorate Downtown Cleveland’s Public Square for the upcoming Christmas season.

On Oct. 21, from 7 a.m. until noon, members of Local 38 brought their electrical expertise with them as they helped transform Cleveland’s Public Square into a winter wonderland of holiday lights.

According to IBEW Local 38 President Mike Muzic, 84 members volunteered their time on a Saturday morning, joining fellow Union Brothers and Sisters, to give back to the community.

The number of volunteers was in line with previous years, as Muzic noted the Local 38 annual tradition usually draws between 80 and 90 volunteers each year. And as in years past, Local 38 members were joined by family and friends who wanted to help.

“This is the type of volunteer event our members look forward to doing each year,” said Muzic. “They really do. The greatest thing is to see our members who bring their family members with them year after year. Seeing them enjoy the time together really makes it worth it.”

Unlike the line in the song “12 Pains of Christmas,” rigging up the thousands of lights has been an enjoyable task that goes back decades.

For some Local 38 members, the event gives them a chance to work with Brothers and Sisters they have not seen or worked with in a while. It provides a chance to catch up, crack some jokes and tell some stories while they inspect and then hang the strings of lights.

Besides numerous veteran exterior illumination specialists, apprentices and new members joined in the fun.

“This year, we had a good amount of apprentices and newer members who got to experience it for the first time and seemed to really like it,” said Muzic.

With clouds and temperatures in the low 50s, the dry and seasonable weather allowed the volunteers to go about their work in a single day.

By the time the volunteers wrapped up their work around noon, it was “beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Public Square.”

A tradition for members of the Local since the 1950s, this volunteer project has taken on a special meaning for many members of the Local.

For those generational members or those whose parents brought them downtown to look at the lights, they know the five hours they donate on a Saturday afternoon will light up the eyes of adults and kids alike during the Christmas season.

“We want the Northeast Ohio area to be a destination where families can come down and enjoy the Downtown area,” Muzic said.

The hard work by the Local 38 volunteers will be on display for the first-time during Winterfest, which is Cleveland’s official Christmas lighting ceremony and kick-off to its season-long Winterland Events.

The public is invited to come down to Public Square on Nov. 25 for a festive and fun day and to stick around for the nighttime entertainment. Santa, as well as various local favorite holiday characters, will make appearances.

However, the main event is set for around 6:30 p.m., when the Christmas lights are turned on for the first time.

For a complete listing of all Winterland activities, visit the event’s official website: winterlandcle.com/events.