U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree to Visit Raphine, Virginia During 2019 Tour White’s Travel Center to Host Community-wide Holiday Celebration Nov. 23   Raphine, Virginia (November 7, 2019) – The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is making a stop in Raphine, Virginia during its cross country trip to Washington D.C. this year. Every year, a different national forest is selected to provide a tree to appear on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol building for the holiday season. The Carson National Forest in partnership with nonprofit partner Choose Outdoors will bring this special gift from New Mexico to Washington, D.C. for the 2019 season, with stops in more than 25 communities along the way. On Nov. 23, the tree will make its final public stop at the Petro Stopping Center in Raphine, Virginia, also known as White’s Travel Center, located at 2440 Raphine Road, along I-81/I-64, Exit 205. From 2 -3 p.m., the entire community is invited to White’s Travel Center for a holiday celebration during the tree’s visit. The fun includes a chance to sign the banner on the Capitol Christmas Tree truck, family photos with Santa, Christmas ornaments for children to decorate, live Christmas carols, hot apple cider and cookies, and pre-Black Friday sales in The Mercantile at White’s. Smokey Bear is traveling with the Capitol Christmas Tree for his 75th birthday tour and will also be visiting Raphine. All activities are open to the public and free for everyone to enjoy. TravelCenters of America, nationwide operator of the TA®, Petro Stopping Centers® and TA Express® travel center network, is sponsoring the fuel for the 2019 Capitol Christmas Tree’s cross-country journey. “We are grateful to the host cities such as Raphine, Virginia who play a vital part of bringing the tree across the country and this annual celebration”, said Bruce Ward, President, Choose Outdoors. For more information on the Raphine, Virginia event, visit www.whitestravelcenter.com or see us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WhitesTravelCenter/ For news, events and tour information, and to track the tree cross-country, visit uscapitolchristmastree.com, along with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About the Carson National Forest Located in northern New Mexico, the Carson NF is one of five national forests in the state and one of the 11 national forests in USDA Forest Service Southwestern Region. The Carson NF’s 1.5 million acres include some of the finest mountain scenery in the Southwest, where elevations rise from 6,000 feet to 13,161 feet at Wheeler Peak, the highest peak in New Mexico. The Carson NF offers unlimited recreational opportunities throughout all four seasons of the year. The Carson NF has 400 miles of sparkling clean mountain streams and numerous lakes. Its five wilderness areas encompass 86,193 acres of peace and tranquility. Learn more at fs.usda.gov/carson. About the USDA Forest Service
 The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land; provides assistance to state and private landowners; and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. For more information, see www.fs.fed.us. About Choose Outdoors Choose Outdoors works to increase all American's enjoyment, appreciation and support for outdoor recreation activities that connect them to our public lands. These connections will ensure that our public lands will always be there for future generations to cherish. www.chooseoutdoors.org.

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