Over 100 Association of Washington Business members and friends contributed over $25,000 this year for the Capitol Holiday Kids' Tree Project. Each year, AWB sponsors the annual project which started in 1989 as simply providing a Christmas Tree for the Rotunda of the State Capitol in Olympia.
In 18 years, AWB raised over a quarter-million dollars to not only fund the tree, but to provide rural western Washington fire fighters with funds to buy food and Christmas presents for needy families in small communities. "Often the Christmas gift programs and pantry baskets focus on cities and urban areas," Brunell said. "We found that people in rural areas need help as well and rural fire departments are the best conduit to help them."
This year, Rayonier from Sequim will provide the 30-foot Noble fir for the Rotunda. It will arrive at the state capitol on Monday, Dec. 3 at 9:00 a.m. and be decorated by the Capitol Campus Volunteers next week.
The tree lighting ceremony with Gov. Chris Gregoire and AWB Board Chair Brad Carlson, owner of Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Vancouver, will be Friday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. It is open to the public and free of charge.
Charles Henry Thomas, Freelance Writer, Washington Business Magazine
