[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 194 (Wednesday, November 29, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H9474-H9475]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        STATE COLLEGE GREW THE ROCKEFELLER CENTER CHRISTMAS TREE

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, tonight, one of the 
biggest Christmas events will take place in New York City: the lighting 
of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
  This historic event has ushered in the holiday season since the first 
official tree lighting in 1933. Tonight's event is the 85th tree 
lighting, and

[[Page H9475]]

while it will be a star-studded event with various entertainers 
performing on the plaza, the biggest star of all is from State College, 
Pennsylvania: the Christmas tree.
  The 75-foot-tall Norway spruce was chosen as the yuletide 
centerpiece. The 12-ton tree was trucked into Midtown Manhattan earlier 
this month from State College. Rockefeller Center's head gardener was 
visiting State College a few years ago for a high school football game. 
He saw the tree from the road and knocked on the homeowner Jason 
Perrin's door to ask about the spruce.
  Mr. Perrin is a Penn State graduate who worked for the State College 
Area School District for 17 years. He believes the tree is about 80 
years old.
  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to State College's tree playing a 
starring role in tonight's festivities. Merry Christmas.

                          ____________________