Something new doesn’t come along to historic downtown Karnes City very often, but it does happen. This year, it’s a Christmas gift courtesy of one local volunteer organization.

New swags, lighting, and other decorations recently went up, adding a seasonal decoration upgrade to the area.

"We thought that really added some color to downtown — it looks really good during the day time," Young Progressives club member Sherry Sommer said. In addition to that, the angels and stars fabricated by former Mayor Sonny Prasek were refurbished.

"We redid them and they look new," Sommer said.

New lights also were purchased for the buildings downtown. The Karnes City Volunteer Fire Department helped hang the lights, American Electric Power volunteered to hang the swags and made sure electricity was on the poles, and Veolia Water hung up the stars and angels.

"It was a community effort," Sommer said. "We had been looking at the downtown decorations for quite some time. Last year during Christmas time, we said we’re going to start making Christmas a project for ourselves. We’re going to add to it every year."

Much of the electrical system downtown was rewired last year, fixing damage still remaining from hurricane Claudette in 2003.

The Young Progressives is a community organization started in 1966 by 12 women with the goal of making Karnes City a better place to live. The group is capped at 36 members, and new members are elected annually as old ones leave the group.

"We try to get behind the schools, businesses, the city — whatever’s needed, we try to roll up our sleeves and work side by side with the Rotary Club or whoever else needs our help," Sommer said.