Join Governor Jerry Brown and First Lady Anne Gust Brown in lighting the California State Christmas Tree on Wednesday, December 5, 2012.  Open to the public at 4:00 p.m. Celebrate the holiday season along with fellow Californians with musical performances and the official lighting of the tree. 

All attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to California EmergencyFoodlink.  Contributions will be distributed to food banks for those in need throughout our state.

Participants Include:

Mistress of Ceremonies, Kitty O'Neal

Governor's Own 59th Army Band, Brass Quintet, California National Guard

Galena Street East

Oakland Military Institute

Oakland School for the Arts

St. Paul's Choir

Christian Anderson will help the Governor light the tree.

________________________________________________________

Background Information:

2012 California State Christmas Tree

The 2012 California State Christmas Tree is a 50 foot Whitefir from the Latour Demonstration State Forest in Redding.  It is believed to be the first time the state Christmas tree has come from a state forest instead of from the US Forest Service.  The tree has been decorated with approximately 10,000 energy efficient LED bulbs,along with hundreds of ornaments decorated by children and adults with developmental disabilities.

California Emergency Foodlink

Foodlink was founded in 1992 in partnership with the California Department of Social Services with the mission to find sensible solutions to hunger that effectively address its root causes: poverty and joblessness.  To accomplish its mission, Foodlink has implemented a strategy of building better communities by providing jobs, preventing hunger and training for the future.  At no charge to recipient agencies, Foodlink delivers more than 120 million pounds of food per year throughout California.  Foodlink delivers government commodities from The Emergency Food Assistance Program as well as fresh produce collected under the statewide agricultural food rescue program, Donate-Don't Dump.  It is a Distribution Partner of Feeding America and has both statewide and local programs.  Through innovative programming and an intense desire to create change, Foodlink has been fighting hunger in California for two decades.

CaliforniaVolunteers

CaliforniaVolunteers is the state office that manages programs and initiatives aimed at increasing the number of Californians engaged in service and volunteering.

Kitty O'Neal

Kitty O'Neal anchors the highly rated and award winning KFBK Afternoon News from 4-7 pm, a show she has hosted for 19 years.  She is also KFBK's Lifestyle Editor and provides news updates and feature reports throughout the day.  Now in her 26th year with KFBK, Kitty has served in various capacities, including producing talk shows for KFBK and serving as News Director for seven years on sister station KGBY-FM.  Kitty donates much of her time and talent to community events and charitable organizations.  Since 2001, the readers of that magazine have annually voted Kitty the Best Afternoon Drive Radio Personality in Sacramento.  Before her media work, Kitty sang professionally in a touring musical group and continues to perform today.  She graduated with Honors from California State University, Sacramento and has her BA Degree in Communication Studies.  She is married to Kurt Spataro, an Executive Chef and Restaurateur and are partners in several Sacramento area restaurants including Spataro and Esquire Grill.  Kitty is passionate about animals, especially felines, and she and Kurt have several cats.  Kitty is an avid traveler, and designs and sews clothing for herself when she has time.  She and Kurt have lived in the Curtis Park neighborhood of Sacramento for 21 years.

Christian Anderson

Ten year old Christian Anderson will help Governor Brown light the State Christmas Tree.  He is from Costa Mesa, California, and enjoys participating in Boy Scouts, Special Olympics, baseball and his school band.  Christian receives services for Autism from the Regional Center of Orange County.

Governor's Own 59th Army Band, Brass Quintet, California National Guard

The 59th Army Band was first organized on May 8, 1861, as the band of the First California Volunteer Infantry Regiment.  The band is one of the oldest units in the California National Guard, and one of the oldest bands in the United States Army.  Currently stationed in Sacramento, the band, known as "The Governor's Own," has performed for every governor's inauguration since 1928-2007, and regularly performs at the State Capitol.  The band and its small groups performed at 44 events for 70,000 people (military and civilian) this last year, not including nearly 2 million people via local and international television broadcasts.  The 59th Army Band has received the State of California Governor's Outstanding Unit Award on several occasions.  The band's mission is to provide musical support to the troops, be the ambassador for the California Army National Guard, and promote our national interests.  Band performances include a variety of music from patriotic selections to the Big Band Era.  The band's 41 members reside throughout northern California and meet once or twice a month to rehearse and support military and community events throughout the state.

Galena Street East

Galena Street East is a non-profit organization established in 1972 to develop young artists by giving them the opportunity to perform and use their talents to enrich their lives and those of the community.  Galena's professionally-trained artists perform for conventions, schools, and social organizations.  The organization also provides music scholarships for its members.  Each year, Galena Street East Touring company represents Sacramento as Performing Ambassadors on a people-to-people  goodwill performing tour. 

Oakland Military Institute

The Oakland Military Institute was founded in 2001 by then Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, who had a vision for a school with high expectations for student achievement, conduct, character, patriotism, and leadership.  The founding leadership team of the school consisted of Brigadier General Ezell Ware, Brigadier General Ralph Marinaro, Colonel Gary Richards, Chief Warrant Officer Gerald Martin, Chief Warrant Officer Garrett Roosevelt, and Chief Warrant Officer Harold Newsom.  The first summer encampment took place at Camp San Luis Obispo in June and July 2001.  A class of 157 7th graders successfully completed that encampment and enrolled in August of 2001.  The sixth grade was added during the summer of 2004 and the 2006-2007 school year saw the first complement of all grade levels 6-12 enrolled at the Academy.  The first graduating class of 61 seniors held commencement at the Lake Merritt Bandstand on Saturday, June 6, 2007.  Of the graduating class, 22 were continuously enrolled since their 7th grade year.  The California Attorney General Jerry Brown was the commencement speaker.  Eighty percent of the first graduating class was accepted to four year colleges and universities.

Oakland School for the Arts

Oakland School for the Arts was founded by then Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown in 2002 and balances an immersive arts program with a comprehensive academic curriculum, providing students unique opportunities for learning, innovation, expression and personal growth.  OSA's arts and academic programs build discipline and confidence, effectively preparing creative youth to achieve their potential both in and outside of the arts.  OSA attracts and retains a broad range of students drawn together by the organizing paradigm of the arts into a cohesive community.  OSA's students demonstrate the value of creativity in academia.  Over 95% of OSA graduates have gained admission to 4 year colleges and universities.

St. Paul's Choir

The St. Paul's Choir performs at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in South Sacramento and is very active in their community.

California Department of Developmental Services

The California Department of Developmental Services is the agency through which the State of California provides services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities.  These disabilities include mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism and related conditions.  Services are provided through state-operated developmental centers and community facilities, and contracts with 21 nonprofit regional centers.  The regional centers serve as a local resource to help find and access the services and supports available to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.