Choose Outdoors Org
- Connecting Americans to Public Land through Outdoor Recreation
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The Capitol Christmas tree, the "people's" tree, is a tradition that began in 1964 with then Speaker of the House John McCormack. Since 1970, the tree has come from a national forest, selected 5 years beforehand by a panel of Forest Service officials and community leaders. The tree for next year, 2012, will come from the White River National Forest in Colorado, the last time the Capitol Christmas tree came from a national forest in Colorado was in 2000. The tree will be a gift to all Americans from the people of Colorado.
Choose Outdoors is proud to have been invited to serve as the nonprofit partner in bringing the tree from Colorado to the Nation's Capital.
The 2012 Capitol Tree project began with the lighting of last year's tree on December 6, 2011. That ceremony was the culmination of a series of events that engaged kids, their families, and their communities across the country. Choose Outdoors, working with the White River National Forest will plan art, poster, essay, and ornament design competitions aimed at middle school students. The winner will travel to Washington, D.C. to join the Speaker of the House at the tree lighting ceremony in December 2012. There will also be a song-writing competition for school-age children.
The tree will be selected from the White River National Forest in early 2012 and will be cut in late October or early November. The tree cutting will be a national press event and well covered by the mainstream media, cable outlets, and the social media.
Opportunities for event sponsorship are considerable. This year, the Colorado Tourism Office has generously joined with Choose Outdoors and the White River National Forest as presenting sponsor providing financial and logistical support for the full range of activities that will be included in the 2012 Christmas Tree project. Outside Magazine has agreed to provide advertising support and Mack Trucks will provide the trucks to transport the tree and its companion trees to the nation's capital. Kampgrounds of America (KOA) and Colorado State University are also providing in-kind support. With the number of community events, outreach via social media and mainstream media, and the "whistle stop tour" to the Nation's Capital, millions of people will see our sponsors' logos and learn of their involvement with this nationally recognized and widely anticipated event.
Choose Outdoors invites you to consider becoming a sponsor of the 2012 National Capitol Christmas Tree. For more information, please contact Bruce Ward, founder, at 303-917-1476 or Jeff Olson, President, 406-241-8612.
