Plans for the Christmas Tree's arrival in Havre are growing. The tree, harvested from the Bitterroot Forest, will arrive in town on Nov. 7 for the community to view from 11 a.m. to 1 p. m. at Town Square. Among the lunch-time festivities, the community will be treated to St. Jude Thaddeus School third, fourth and fifth graders singing Christmas carols from 11 to 11:30 a.m. The Havre Area Chamber Ambassadors will be offering a chili and hot cider lunch and the Capitol Christmas Tree organizers have several surprises planned. Those who stop by to see the tree will also be able to meet a local representative chosen to go to Washington, D. C., and help Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi light the tree at the Capitol on Dec. 2 — Chris Gabrielsen, a nineyear- old from Sunnyside Intermediate School, who won a drawing after making an ornament for the Capitol Christmas Tree. The boy will fly to Washington, D.C., with his mother. “We are absolutely thrilled to be going on this trip; none of us have ever been to Washington, D.C.," said Chris' mom, Carol Gabrielsen. "They (Sasha Sulia of the Bitterroot Forest Service) called us mid-September. It was funny because they said my Son had won the trip, so we had to clarify which son it was because I have three sons. Chris had made the ornament at 4-H camp. I didn’t realize they had made the ornaments and sent in the entry form. Chris’ twin brother also gets to watch the tree be lit thanks to my parents who are generous enough to help fund the plane ticket for him. "I will have my kids at the town square on Friday so that they can join in the festivities," she added. "We’re all very excited." The tree's stop in Havre is part of a tour including 20 Montana cities coordinated by Marilyn Wildey, hydrologytechnician/ special events coordinator. “Every community plans different things for their gathering (around the Capitol Christmas Tree), it varies by community," Wildey said. "Some communities use this as an opportunity to present special awards, some use it as a fundraiser and most have food. This is such a special event because Montana is providing the Christmas tree that goes on the lawn." The last time Montana was chosen to provide the Capitol Christmas Tree was about 20 years ago. "By providing the Christmas tree we get to involve the whole state,” Wildey said. “Montana was chosen on a volunteer basis. We’ve been preparing for this for the past two years." The National Forestry asks for volunteers to provide a tree and the Bitterroot Forest's offer was chosen for this years’ tree — a 110-foot subalpine fir which will be cut Saturday, Nov. 1, from the Sapphire Mountains of southwestern Montana. Over a span of three weeks the tree will be trucked to Washington, D.C., The century-old tree will fall Saturday in a ceremony with warming fires and music 15 to 20 miles southeast of Hamilton. The tree and will be kept under round-the-clock surveillance as a precaution against vandalism as it is hauled across the country by National Van Lines, which is donating its services as well as the fuel, said Nan Christianson, spokeswoman for the Bitterroot forest. Havre will have further connection to the country's capitol this holiday with the donation of another tree. “The Mountain View 4-H club is giving a companion tree from Havre that will be placed outside one of the government offices at the," said Deb Vandeberg, Havre Area Chamber of Commerce executive director. "The (companion) tree is coming from the Lon and Stacey Waid ranch. The tree will be traveling with the Nation Tree — as I understand it.” Community members who would like to make an ornament for the tree can stills do so. Ornaments can be dropped off at the Havre Daily News with Amanda Johnson, who will package and deliver then to the tour on Nov. 7. All ornaments must be received no later than 5 p. m. Wednesday, Nov 5. For more information, call 265-6795, ext. 21 or 262-3802. For specification in making the ornaments, visit the Internet at http://christmastree2008.org and click on the “ornaments” tab on the left side of the page. Local organizations and schools who want to offer an activity or item during the trees visit should call the Chamber at 265-4383.
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