Idahoans come together to light up nation's capitol

December 9, 2016

Isabella Gerard, immediately after the tree lighting, with her parents, Josh and Annalyn.

By U.S. Congressman Raul Labrador It’s been a wonderful and memorable week in Washington as we celebrated the holidays with the lighting of the Idaho-grown U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. From the time it was felled with a crosscut saw at the Little Ski Hill in McCall to Tuesday’s lighting ceremony at the West Front of the Capitol, the tree was warmly embraced by Idahoans and Americans. Since 1970, the U.S. Forest Service has provided the Capitol Tree. This year’s edition was an unmatched success, as thousands viewed the tree on 31 stops along a 4,000-mile route from McCall to Washington. The Washington Post said our Engelmann spruce was “a tree for and by the people, and it was cheered on by small-town Americans as it made its way to D.C.” Idahoans put their hearts into the project. Bridger Dittmer, left, and Sam Billingsley, at a reception hosted by Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. When the Forest Service asked for 8,000 hand-made ornaments, they got 18,000. When a volunteer was needed to drive the truck, Gary Amoth of Twin Falls took four weeks off work. When the tree stopped in Weiser, school let out so every student could sign the banner enclosing the tree on its 105-foot tractor-trailer. When students were asked to submit entries on the theme of “An Idaho Mountain Gem,” more than 200 answered the call. The winner was Isabella Gerard, a fifth-grader at St. Mary’s Parish School in Boise. Isabella brought smiles to countless faces as she recited her poem, “Pristine Idaho Mountains,” at several events this week, including the tree lighting. The lighting ceremony was held at dusk. A steady rain prompted House Speaker Paul Ryan to note that it would be “snowing sideways” in Idaho or Wisconsin. For my part, I welcomed the many Idahoans in the crowd proud of the Gem State’s contribution and wished everyone a Merry Christmas. Then it was time for Isabella to flip the switch, igniting thousands of lights and bringing a hearty roar. It was a beautiful sight. So many Idahoans contributed to this uplifting project, including employees of the Payette National Forest, the city of McCall and 13 other cities that hosted the tree, dozens of sponsors, and hundreds of volunteers. Among those are two young men from McCall, Sam Billingsley and Bridger Dittmer, who helped craft 400 ornaments reproducing Idaho fossils, petroglyphs, mining cabins and a cattle brand. Sam and Bridger, seniors at McCall-Donnelly High School, made the trip to Washington, walking 30 miles in two days to see the sights. They particularly enjoyed the Smithsonian’s gem and mineral collections. Sam perfectly summed up the feelings of all who joined together in this great effort, saying, “It’s been an amazing experience to get involved in something bigger than ourselves.” What a wonderful sentiment to hear as we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. Let us all give thanks for our many blessings as families and friends gather for the holidays. Merry Christmas to all!