Elexes Harris, assistant manager for Goodwill Industries’ Austintown location, decorates one of 13 Christmas trees Wednesday at Penguin City Brewing Co. that Goodwill had donated to the downtown Youngstown brewery.

YOUNGSTOWN — Having her business ablaze with colorful lights and adorned with tall trees and festive decorations meant more than just holiday cheer to Aspasia Lyras: It also symbolized a sense of holiday collaboration, community and greater connectivity.

“I absolutely love it; it was a fun collaboration between the two businesses,” Lyras, Penguin City Brewing Co.’s co-owner, said.

She was referring to the partnership the brewery has with Goodwill Industries Inc., which made it possible and desirable for Goodwill to have donated 13 Christmas trees to her business.

On Wednesday afternoon, the trees received plenty of ornaments, lights, garland and other decorative touches, thanks to a holiday-themed gathering at Penguin City, 460 E. Federal St., downtown. The relationship between Goodwill and Penguin City also embodies the holiday spirit via fostering community connections, Lyras said.

On a broader scale, Wednesday’s gathering highlighted that downtown “is alive and that we’re here,” despite the financial hits the business community has taken mainly because of the May 28 natural gas explosion that destroyed the Realty Building and killed Chase Bank employee Akil Drake, the COVID-19 pandemic and several years of closed roads and detours, she explained. The Realty building was razed this summer.

Goodwill’s generosity extended beyond the trees and decorations, however. Also on hand Wednesday were several large boxes filled with extra decorations that Lyras said Penguin City will use to festoon its float, which will appear in the annual downtown holiday parade, set for 4 p.m. Friday on and near Central Square. A tree-lighting ceremony will follow the parade.

Helping to add her decorative flair to a Slavic-themed tree Wednesday was Elexes Harris, assistant manager with Goodwill Industries’ Austintown location.

“I love that Goodwill gives back to people; I love how people come together to do something great so others can enjoy it,’ Harris said from a small step ladder while adding the finishing touches to the tree.

That tree was accented with plenty of gold, red and yellow, along with silver, red and green beaded ornaments, all complemented with wooden sticks protruding from near the top of the tree to make it “a woodsy kind of tree,” she added.

Assisting Harris was Angela Strosnider, Goodwill’s district manager, who noted that 13 trees having been donated to Penguin City also aligns with the fact that the number of Slavic countries is 13.

A neighboring tree was filled with Youngstown State University Penguins’ distinctive red and white, and included a few stuffed penguins in front, along with a large red “Y.”

Earlier this year, all 10 area Goodwill retail locations donated the trees, accompanying decorations and other items, which were collected throughout the course of this year. They had been stored in a warehouse in Hermitage, Pa., then brought to Goodwill Industries’ Liberty site on Belmont Avenue, Joseph Catullo Jr., Goodwill’s marketing and relationship coordinator, said.

In addition, the trees will be selling for $50 apiece – funds that will go to Goodwill’s Mission Services program, he noted. The department is set up to provide workforce-development opportunities aimed, among other things, at helping people obtain, maintain and advance employment and achieve their work-related goals.

Those who buy trees will be able to pick them up on or after Jan. 2, Catullo noted.

Also, Penguin City will be hosting a SLAVidays fundraiser to benefit the Simply Slavic organization. That event is 7 to 11 p.m. Dec. 20 at the brewery, and the cost is $15 per person.