Thank You

Monday, December 12, 2010 - On behalf of everyone involved with the 2010 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree project, it has been a joy sharing our journey with you all!

Thank you to everyone who followed the blog and to all the people who have shared their Tree stories with us on Facebook and through our website.

Please click here to enjoy a special video from Tree stops across the great state of Wyoming.

We wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Wyoming's Tree Lights Up Washington, DC!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 - Wyoming's 'Forever West' Tree lit up Washington, DC this evening!

Senators Mike Enzi, John Barrasso and Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and hundreds of Wyomingites at a special ceremony where the 2010 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree was illuminated. Despite the cold, a large crowd was on hand to celebrate this historic event and Wyoming's Tree.

To watch the lighting ceremony online, please click here.

Keep checking the blog as we'll have more photos and videos of the lighting and Tree in the coming days!

Tree Lighting!

December 7, 2010 - Wyoming's 'Forever West' Tree will be illuminated today at 3:00 p.m. MST.

Depending on the Congressional schedule, the lighting ceremony will be broadcast live on CSPAN. The ceremony will also be streamed live online. Click here to watch CSPAN live.

If the ceremony is not broadcast live, look for the lighting to be replayed on CSPAN and major cable news channels. We will also post a link to the video on our blog and Facebook page very soon after!

Team Tree can't wait to see our Tree lit up!

The Tree Has Been Decorated

Tuesday, December 6, 2010 - Wyoming's Tree has been decorated - and it looks absolutely amazing!

Thousands and thousands of ornaments hand made by the people of Wyoming have been placed on our state's Tree which now resides on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol. It is truly an amazing site to see. The ornaments are spectacular and the compliments on the Cowboy State's Tree keep rolling in.

Another gentlemen who works at the Capitol and has helped to put up the past 30 Capitol Christmas Trees said today Wyoming's Tree was the most beautiful he had ever seen - the fullest and the healthiest.

Check out these pictures of Wyoming's Tree and some of the amazing ornaments which adorn it!

The people of Wyoming really outdid themselves! We have a Tree of which we can be so proud!

The Tree Has Hit the Big Time!

Saturday, December 4, 2010 - You know the Tree has hit the big time when Stephen Colbert decides to poke a little fun at it.

Click here to see a pretty funny clip from "The Colbert Report" regarding the Tree and its Twitter account.

Fox News actually called the Tree "perhaps the hippest, most technology-savvy Tree to grace the Capitol ground. This year's Tree has a blog. And a Facebook account. And a Twitter account."

Wyoming's Tree is blowing them all out of the water!

Getting the Tree Ready for Its Close-Up!

Thursday, December 2, 2010 - Our Tree is looking good! This week, staff from the Superintendent of the Capitol's office have been working around the clock to string up lights and decorate the 2010 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

After the Tree's arrival Monday morning, U.S. Capitol workers lifted the Tree from the truck and placed it into a 5-foot deep hole and filled it up with cement. Check out this video of the Tree being set-up on the Capitol lawn.

Since the Tree's arrival, the branches have fallen and our perfect Tree is impressing everyone at the Capitol. Officials from the Capitol have said Wyoming's Tree is truly one of the most beautiful, and fullest, they have ever seen! The Tree was extremely well taken care of on the road (dripping water when it was removed, as they had never seen before), and workers at the Capitol could not believe we got such a full Tree tied up and onto the trailer. Way to go Wyoming!

Only 4 more days until the lighting - we can't wait!

The Tree Has Arrived!

Monday, November 29, 2010 - The Tree made it!

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree was officially handed over to the Architect of the Capitol today. It was a long and joyous day for all of us on the team and many folks from throughout the state of Wyoming who shared in this journey with us.

The team left Hershey Park this morning at midnight and headed to the 4-H Headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland. There, we removed the banner and prepped the trucks for the final leg of our journey.

Josh and Greg remove the banner from the truck.

Mary Ann, driver Jeff Underwood's daughter who joined us in Dahlonega, helps Officer Whitehair and Mary roll up the banner.

After we were done staging in Chevy Chase, we were escorted into Washington by the Capitol police. After being checked out by the police dogs, we began the process of taking the tarp off the tree and dismantling the box.

Team Tree removes the tarp and dismantles the truck early in the morning.

While it was 4:00 in the morning, we were all energized by the excitement of finally delivering the Tree. When we pulled up to the Capitol and saw Wyoming's Tree parked in front of it, our journey felt complete.

Wyoming's perfect Tree parked in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Team Tree poses for one last photo with the Tree before turning it over to the Capitol.

We posed for a few last photos before we officially turned the Tree over to the Architect of the Capitol, Stephen Ayers, at 9:55 a.m. On hand to welcome the Tree to Washington was U.S. Senators Michael Enzi and John Barrasso, who requested that Wyoming have the opportunity to gift the Tree to the Capitol for the first time ever.

The Tree pulls into the U.S. Capitol.

Wyoming's Tree right before it is removed from the truck and erected on the west lawn.



CCT Coordinator Mary Cernicek, Senator John Barrasso and Senator Mike Enzi.

Our driver Jeff Underwood picked up his family in Dahlonega and his wife Cindy and two children Samuel and Mary Ann were there today. The whole family rode into the Capitol together to deliver the 2010 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

Jeff, his wife Cindy and children Samuel and Mary Ann before delivering the Tree to the U.S. Capitol.



After the press conference, the Architect of the Capitol's office began the process of lifting the Tree of the truck and placing onto the west lawn. A crane was used to lift and suspend the Tree and then lower it into a five-foot hole where it was sealed in with cement.

Seeing the Tree lowered into its new home on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Our beautiful Tree will now be decorated with the more than 5,000 ornaments handmade by the people of Wyoming. The official lighting will be next Tuesday, December 7.

Stay tuned for updates this week as we deliver companion trees to other offices and prep for the lighting next week!