Mayor’s Christmas tree supports needy, charities

mayors-christmas-treePreparations are underway for the lighting of the Mayor’s Christmas tree at Crown Center on Friday.

This year, Kansas City native Seth Sinovic of Sporting KC will help with the ceremony.

According to the city, the 100-foot-tall Mayor’s Christmas tree is one of the nation’s tallest in the country. It says the douglas fir is taller than both the White House Christmas Tree and the tree at Rockefeller Center in New York. There are about 7,200 white lights and more than 1,200 ornaments on the Mayor’s Christmas Tree.

The tree helps the Mayor’s Chirstmas Tree fund solicit donations, used for  holiday parties and gifts for needy children and to support other local charities with their holiday efforts. Donation boxes are also located inside the Crown Center Shops.

“The Mayor’s Christmas tree continues to serve as a symbol of the generosity Kansas Citians have for their neighbors. It represents over 100 years of helping families in need in our City,” said Mayor James. “Kansas Citians show a tremendous amount of support each year for this tradition and I am confident they will go above and beyond to provide a little holiday cheer to the families in our City who need it.

Last year the fund helped over 7,000 Kansas City families.

After the holidays, the wood from the Mayor’s Christmas Tree is made into commemorative ornaments, which are sold the following year to benefit the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Fund. The 2014 ornament goes on sale Friday at the Crown Center Customer Service for $13.95.

The Marine Color Guard will be on hand at the event. The Coterie Theater group will perform in addition to the Heartland Men’s Chorus and there will be fireworks immediately following the ceremony.\

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at Crown Center Square.

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