 Good evening This is a tradition that has been going on for more than 40 years so have no chance to say hi please David David always gets a lot of love for the tree when the tree in front of the state house was not that tall and photos from the 1970s and 80s when the tree was at most to the venture of Vermont State House, Portico and the Golden Dome the beloved series the Goddess of Agriculture shines down on us she's right up there everybody in the 1990s our state curator started advocating for something that might be up to the challenge think Rockefeller Center was the mantra that would guide us to tree height the red paper, Ira, has over half that to heart and gone after beautifully tall balsams and spruces as only a state like Vermont can grow three hails from the northern farm in Cali, want to take a quick look at the PGS team for all of their hard work they do David heading, it's over and Mike Brown from Forestry Service for trucking it here and of course the event would not have been possible without the planning assistance of Karen Palace, David Sheath and Eric Willkorn in the last few years you might have heard of them the PGS singers but this year we're really excited to bring U32 also with some members from Calis please join me in welcoming the U32 High School Chorus thank you U32 Choir, it's a special treat to have you here this evening and it certainly is a beautiful site with this gorgeous tree behind me and now it's my great pleasure to introduce you again who has a lot more experience than I do with tree lighting studies who I'm told attend to be even elected as governor please help me welcome Governor Scott thank you very much, thank you Commissioner Hitch and thank you all for being here it's great to be here Northlight, the oldest Christmas arms in Central Vermont the last 42 years is Governor Stewart and Winchester and their daughters Helen and Meredith it's nice to have Rich and Anne here with us tonight over these four decades with some help in recent years from the Moffitt family in Crosbury they've helped the thousands of families that have looked for that elusive tree making sure they had a cup of hot chocolate to go along with their visit and that's what's so special about this time of what holidays you celebrate it's a time to connect with friends and family to give them less fortunate time to each other as well and I think we can all use a little bit more of that to welcome some special guests who've been recognized through my holidays of kindness initiative this is something we started during the pandemic because we needed to be reminded of the good that was still there but it's just as important today so I'm going to share a few of these rays of kindness with you now Zach Cavacus from Stockbridge received the ray of kindness award last year after he raised money by gifts for 20 families during the holidays he then went out and paid himself and then there was Patrick Richardson, a student at Essex High School who raises money for charities like Josh's house in the Humane Society in his free time and I honestly don't know how he does it because on top of this he made the honor roll had jobs at school, played sports and been involved in Special Olympics as both an athlete and a volunteer and then there's Amy Anderson from Waterbury who helps connect and support foster families and Rich Sewardiff who helps a neighbor with housework and getting them to appointments and then there's also Lenny Kutcher, a combat vet who contributes to his community in many different ways and he grows some of the best corn I've ever had and then gives most of it away throughout the year or there's John and Wanda Wilking who make the South Burlington neighbors very happy with what I hear may be the most elaborate holiday display in the state and Bob Bartlett, Bonnie Tucker, Travis Millett, Tim Maxim, Jennifer Doyle, Quentin Webb and Lindsay Etchison who have given back to their neighbors, community and more these folks are all here tonight and we've had many more across the state who have shown that even a small act of kindness can make a big difference so let's give them all a big round of applause each of them was nominated by someone in their community who appreciated what they had done and reached out to my office to share it that says something about how far these acts of kindness can go and how it can inspire others to do the same certificates for this very occasion and hand them the season possible please help me welcome Richard, co-art and Anne Winchester of the Northern Light Christmas Tree Farm to the podium andizes Northern Tree Farm for its contribution to the 2022 Governor's Tree Lighting Ceremony so we're going to need some kids up here to pick a tree okay so we need some kids if you want to come up right up here count to three on one, two three, oh Christmas tree okay everyone it's the big moment are you excited? we have the tree with its lovely branches and over 3,000 lights to help light the way once again please help me welcome Governor Scott to the podium so we're going to need some kids up here to light the tree okay so we need some kids if you want to come up right up here to get the tree lit up count to three on three you say Merry Christmas okay one, two, one need some help from all of you I guess to get this tree lit up okay one more time this is it, this is going to work refer to as the Ukrainian Carol because it comes from Ukraine and is one of my personal favorites so you 32 take it away but if we could just listen to one more song and then there's a special surprise waiting for everybody afterwards you're going to have to find out but first we first we have to hear from you 32 the U32 choir Christmas is certainly here bringing the chair please help me give the U32 choir a big round of applause everybody thank you all for coming thank you Governor Scott and made a piece of the season steady us and prepare us for a happy new year will you please join us in the state house I hear big cookies like the biggest cookies you've ever seen and hot chocolate and a reading of my favorite Christmas book did anybody know what it is?