The state of Michigan is set to receive a 60-foot spruce tree to be placed in front of the Capitol in Lansing this weekend, signaling the commencement of the holiday season. This year's official Christmas tree has been generously donated by Eagle residents Rich and Dorcas Albertson. In a sentiment echoed across publications, the couple shared their mixed feelings about parting with the tree that has stood in their yard for over 27 years. "We will sure miss it," they told the Lansing State Journal, adding, "It will be nice to see it adorned with lights one more time this holiday season."
The tree harvest is planned for tomorrow at the Albertsons' property, with the public invited to witness the occasion. The Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association and the Michigan Association of Timbermen, in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB), will assist in the harvesting and transport process, MLive details the plan. The spruce will travel from Eagle to its new, temporary abode on the Capitol lawn, with an expected arrival time of around 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Local Boy Scouts are slated to participate in the tradition of untying the tree once it reaches its destination. A volunteer crane crew from the HI-Ball Company of Lansing will be instrumental in hoisting the tree into place near the intersection of Capitol and East Michigan avenues, as noted by ABC12. This will take place approximately between 9:30 to 10 a.m., setting the stage for the tree's decoration and lighting preparations.
