|
 Printer-Friendly Version
Remarks Prepared for Delivery by
U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao
DOL Annual Holiday Tree Lighting
Frances Perkins Building
Thursday, December 2, 2004
Thank you, Linda [Hunt.] And thanks to everyone at the Recreation
Association for your great work in decorating the tree. It looks lovely again
this year.
And thank you, Daniel [Austin], for that wonderful holiday music.
I also want to acknowledge Charles McClister [Santa Claus] for
his very special contribution to this event each and every year.
Welcome to the Department of Labor's annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony.
I always love to do events with the children and hear them sing!
Today we celebrate the beginning of the holiday season. This time of year
always inspires us with such hope and joy.
Just last week we celebrated Thanksgiving, which is a uniquely American
holiday. It helps us remember that we are blessed with so much abundance,
opportunity and freedom. We need to hold on to that spirit of thankfulness
and remember the little things in life that inspire us everyday—like the
smiling faces and lovely voices of these beautiful children.
Before we light the tree, I would like to ask the Acting Director of the
Child Development Center, Rosalyn Porter, to please join me.
First, you and the staff at the Child Development Center are to be commended
for the great job you do every day. You have one of the most important jobs
in the world—caring for the children. Everyone here at the Department appreciates
the great work you do.
One of my special joys during the holidays is to present new books to the
children's book shelf of the Wirtz Library.
We all know how important reading is in a child's development. The President
and First Lady are strong proponents of teaching the joys of reading to young
children. The First Lady, herself, is an avid reader. She hosts the wonderful
book fair on the Mall each year, around October. It is never too early to
start to teach children to learn to read.
So I am delighted to present you with a new book—“Dr. Seuss's ABC”—and three
DVDs—“Dora the Explorer To the Rescue”; “A to Z Adventure”; and “Tad's Great
Day at the Letter Factory”—for the bookshelf. The book and DVDs are filled
with wonderful new adventures I know you will enjoy sharing with the children.
Now, who would like to help me light the tree?
Thank you very much.
Now, let's press the switch together.
Thanks for helping—you did a great job!
Does anyone else hear that? It sounds like the bells on Santa's sleigh.
Look, everyone! It's Santa Claus. Merry Christmas, Happy holidays and God
Bless each of you!
# # #
_________________________________________________________________
| 
