US Capitol Christmas Tree makes stop at Idaho Falls school
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IDAHO FALLS — Students at an Idaho Falls charter school and members of the community welcomed an 80-foot Christmas tree on its journey across the nation.
When the tree is delivered to Washington, D.C., on Nov. 28, it will stand outside the U.S. Capitol.
“It symbolizes the hope and joy of America.”
Alturas International Academy, on 3950 S. Yellowstone Highway, hosted the event. Students sang patriotic and Christmas songs and danced for the large crowd gathered, including Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper.
The U.S. National Forest offered a booth with activity books for kids as well as a chance to meet Smokey Bear and Santa. Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center also had a booth, where attendees could donate food items to those in need in the community. In addition, The Big Idaho Potato Truck has been accompanying the tree on its stops through Idaho.
Garth Smelser, forest supervisor with the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and parent of three children attending Alturas, helped organize the stop and last week spoke to Alturas students in preparation for the event.
“I gave them a little teaser so they would understand everything about the tree and where it came from,” Smelser said.
Michelle Ball, head teacher at Alturas, said the Capitol Tree and its tour across the nation brings communities together, and they feel lucky to have it come to Idaho Falls.
“It is such a privilege. It symbolizes the hope and joy of America. The children and the community have really come together for this. It’s really what we’re all about,” she said.
The 84-year-old tree was cut Nov. 2 from the Payette National Forest near McCall. There is a lot of pride in the fact this year’s tree was cut from Idaho land. The only other time a U.S. Capitol Christmas tree came from Idaho was in 2002 from the Boise National Forest.
The tradition of the tree, also called “The People’s Tree,” started in 1964. Each year a forest is chosen and then the Capitol architect makes a visit to select a tree. Also 70 smaller Christmas trees were chosen that will be displayed in offices in Washington. These trees will be decorated with 18,000 ornaments handmade by students from all over Idaho.
Breck Young with the U.S. Forest Service in Boise is one of many taking the tree to the Capitol. On Monday he helped answer students’ questions about the tree during the Idaho Falls stop.
“I love making all these stops at towns across the nation, especially when there are kids,” he said. The logistics of hauling an 80-foot tree takes a lot of coordination and effort from their group and local law enforcement. We need help getting in and out of town, and we even have to shut down intersections to make turns.”
The tree has made stops all over Idaho. Next it will head through Utah, Colorado, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and on east to Washington. For more information, visit the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Facebook page or its website, where you can also track the location of the tree as it travels across the nation.