This Capitol Christmas Tree deal is big.
That became obvious early on to everyone, who tended to be mostly public officials, who showed up in January for the announcement that the Sweet Home Ranger District is privileged to provide the 75-foot evergreen that will grace the U.S. Capitol lawn this year.
Faithful readers of this newspaper will recall that U.S. Forest Service officials announced on Jan. 19 that Sweet Home will cut the tree from somewhere in the district, which will be identified later this year, cut and transported to Sweet Home in early November.
Not only are local residents tasked with helping to find the right tree, but we are also being asked to help produce the 3,500 large ornaments for the big Christmas tree, which will stand on the Capitol’s West Lawn, and 6,500 smaller ornaments, which will decorate indoor trees throughout the Capitol complex.
Anyone who has been to a public event in the last few months, such as the Chamber of Commerce awards dinner, has likely noticed tables bearing ornament-making supplies and helpful staffers inviting us all to get involved.
If you haven’t made one yet, you have another chance this Saturday at the Hero Half event at Community Chapel (see page 16).
So why should we care about all this, with lawns to mow, fish to catch, TV shows to watch and all the other things on our to-do lists?
We’re surrounded by hype and self-promotion – TV commercials and internet advertising and social media that constantly bombard us with superlatives such as “exciting,” “amazing,” “unbelievable,” “terrific,” as well as the ubiquitous “so proud” that accompanies seemingly every Facebook post reporting the range of life achievements from baby’s first step to breakfast to one’s deepest thoughts at funerals.
Consequently, we should be forgiven if we’re a little calloused when it comes to getting excited about yet another thrilling event.
Except this is for real. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – probably literally – for Sweet Home to show off, not just to the state but to the nation, to get our name out there.
The U.S Forest Service has provided the Capitol Christmas tree since 1970, and the last from Oregon came from the Umpqua National Forest in 2002. Last year’s came from Kootenai National Forest in Montana.
Considering that the United States has 154 national forests, this is probably going to be the only time the Sweet Home Ranger District will be The One to provide the national tree.
We moan and groan, not unjustifiably, about the short-sightedness and folly that has led to the whole spotted owl fiasco in our region, which has impacted Sweet Home very negatively. We know we’re really just a dot on a map for decision makers who have little knowledge of who we are, where we live and what we do. So this is our chance to make a splash.
But for one month, our name will be out there on an 85-foot (roughly) tree, loaded with ornaments made by people right here in Sweet Home and elsewhere in Oregon, a personal gift from us to them. More locally, public officials of all stripes from Salem and elsewhere in Oregon will be reminded of who Sweet Home is. A little bit like the good ol’ days when Sweet Home was a nerve center of the forest industry and the politicians showed up in droves for the annual Chamber of Commerce awards banquets, just because they needed to.
Locally, it’s also an opportunity for us to celebrate the fact that, despite our wrinkles, we live in a place of great natural beauty, brimming with resources.
From that richness, we will produce this tree for the nation.
It’s an opportunity to show the fiber of our community as well, the can-do, “get-’er-done” attitude that makes Sweet Home the community many people decide to come to come back to after they’ve tasted what the rest of the world has to offer.
In our story on page 3, we report what’s needed to put this shindig together. It’s going to take some effort, not just sitting back and watching someone else do it.
We won’t go into the list here, but there’s something for everyone to help make this celebration truly terrific.