GDG- FW: "Holiday in the National Parks" Celebrated at the White House - Gettysburg and Eisenhower Ornaments Displayed on the Official White House Christmas Tree

[Robert Lawrence]

-----Original Message-----
From: Katie_Lawhon at nps.gov [mailto:Katie_Lawhon at nps.gov] 
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 9:25 AM
Subject: "Holiday in the National Parks" Celebrated at the White House -
Gettysburg and Eisenhower Ornaments Displayed on the Official White
House Christmas Tree 


National Park Service News Release



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - NOVEMBER 29, 2007 CONTACT KATIE LAWHON 717/
334-1124 X452

       "Holiday in the National Parks" Celebrated at the White House

 Gettysburg and Eisenhower Ornaments Displayed on the Official White
House
                              Christmas Tree




Two ornaments depicting Gettysburg National Military Park and the

Eisenhower National Historic Site are prominently displayed on this
year's

official White House Christmas Tree. The tree is the centerpiece of

elaborate decorations celebrating the theme of "Holiday in the National

Parks."



"It is an amazing honor for the National Park Service to be selected as
the

theme for the White House holiday decorations by the President and Mrs.

Bush," said National Park Service Director Mary A. Bomar. "Mrs. Bush is
the

best champion for our national parks, and the beautiful decorations in
each

state room showcase the natural and historical treasures found in parks

throughout the country."



The tree, located in the Blue Room, is adorned with handmade ornaments

representing the country's 391 National Park Service sites. "Each
ornament

on the magnificent 18-foot Fraser fir was designed by an artist selected
by

the park," said Bomar. "The ornaments tell the stories of our parks,
just

as our parks tell the stories of our nation."



The two original hand-painted ornaments were created by Gettysburg
artist

Dale Gallon. The Gettysburg scene depicts the historic Evergreen
cemetery

gatehouse and flags. The Eisenhower ornament features the president's
home.

Dale Gallon and his wife, Anne, attended the White House reception
hosted

by First Lady Laura Bush on November 28, along with Gettysburg's Deputy

Superintendent John McKenna, and his wife, Jennifer Weaver.



The holiday displays incorporate the wide variety of natural, cultural,
and

recreational features preserved by the National Park Service. Models of

icons such as the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the Statue of Liberty
share

space with paintings of scenic vistas from Grand Canyon, Zion, and Rocky

Mountain National Parks. Holiday garlands intertwined with park objects

including seashells, pine cones, and gold aspen leaves add to each
room's

festive feel.



A highlight of the decorations is a scaled-down, but architecturally

accurate, gingerbread reproduction of the south view of the White House,
a

unit of the National Park Service. The edible masterpiece includes Bush

family pets Barney, Miss Beazley, and Willie frolicking on the lawn with

moose, elk, raccoons, and other animals found in national parks.



"National Parks commemorate the people, places, and events that define
the

American experience," "National Parks commemorate the people, places,
and

events that define the American experience," said Secretary of the
Interior

Dirk Kempthorne. "I am so appreciative of President Bush's efforts to

recognize the important role of national parks in American society. Our

country will celebrate the 100 th anniversary of the National Park
Service

in 2016 and the President  has been instrumental in establishing the

National Park Centennial Initiative to prepare the parks for the next

century."



                                  --NPS--

 Photo attached:  (See attached file: GETT EISE white house
ornaments.jpg)

Caption:  From left to right, Dale Gallon, John McKenna, and Anne Gallon
with the Gettysburg and Eisenhower White House ornaments.  Photo
courtesy of Gettysburg National Military Park.



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