4-H group headed to D.C. for lighting
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ELKINS -- A group of Randolph County 4-H members and volunteers will be part of history when they travel to Washington D.C., for the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Nov. 28.
Each year since 1964, the tree has been decorated and a tree-lighting ceremony has taken place on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. This year's tree was harvested in Randolph County, marking just the third time a tree from West Virginia has been selected.
The first tree chosen from the Mountain State was in 1970, while the second, a 41-foot Red Spruce, was provided in 1976. This year's tree, a 63-foot Norway Spruce, was harvested from the Laurel Fork.
"We've been celebrating the U.S. Capitol Tree and the fact that it came from the Monongahela National Forest basically all year," WVU Extension Agent Hannah Fincham told The Inter-Mountain. "Our 4-H Camp theme this summer was 'It's the most wonderful time of the year,' which is a play on 4-H Camp being an awesome time of year, and also Christmas."
Fincham said Randolph County 4-Hers made more than 330 ornaments for the Capitol tree and its companion trees this year, and learned all about the Monongahela National Forest through a collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service.
"They have been doing a lot of education with the 4-H kids," Fincham said. "They've been learning about the forest and celebrating the tree, and as we got closer to the tree lighting, we found that the tree was actually from Randolph County and that a 4-Her (Ethan Reese) won Sen. Manchin's essay contest. So we are just really excited about all the things surrounding the tree."
Finchman said that 65 people will board the bus to Washington D.C. for the one-day trip.
"We have a full bus going and some other people are also driving down for the ceremony," said Fincham. "Everyone going on the trip is either a 4-H member or a 4-H volunteer, and about 45 of those are youths… We are also taking a tour of the Smithsonian and the U.S. Capitol before we watch the Tree Lighting Ceremony. It's very exciting."
The kids making the trip vary in ages, from second-grade through seniors in high school, and the trip will cost the youngsters nothing, thanks to some generous donations.
"We are very blessed that the trip is not costing the kids anything," said Fincham. "Marsha and Mark Doak and the Tygart Valley Lions Club have come together to fully sponsor the bus, and we are super thankful for that. And the meals are being covered by the Randolph County 4-H Foundation and the Randolph County 4-H Leaders Association."
The Capitol Christmas Tree's current tour of West Virginia will conclude today when it makes its final stop, in Harpers Ferry.