CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Dozens of West Virginians, including Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice, celebrated the holiday season on Tuesday with the annual Joyful Night celebration at the state Capitol.
The Justices flipped the switch to turn on this year’s state Christmas tree, which stands on the south side of state Capitol.
“It’s an amazing state, it’s amazing people, and it’s an incredible time of year,” the governor said. “A time to be so thankful in so many ways. A time to know the true meaning of the season. … Merry Christmas is the reason and the meaning of the season.”
Music from the marching bands of Cabell Midland High School and Greenbrier East High School as well as the Capital High School show choir, the Voices in Perfection, entertained the crowd. The students performed as light snow flurries fell, a shift from the rain showers observed in the Kanawha Valley earlier in the day.
“You think about these young people and these incredible voices and this incredible works of our marching bands and all fo the people that are here with us tonight. You just think about the good Lord giving us these flurries of snow versus the rain that we had just a little while ago,” the governor said.
After the music, the governor and first lady turned on the lights decorating this year’s tree. David and Rebecca Absher of Absher Christmas Tree Farm in Mount Hope donated two trees being used at the state Capitol.
“To grow this beautiful, beautiful specimen of trees is un-flat-believable,” Gov. Jim Justice added.
A tree inside the state Capitol honors military personnel and first responders.
During Tuesday’s ceremony, two West Virginia State Police troopers were honored with the Purple Heart; Cpl. Joshua Ware was injured while assisting with a call in July in Berkeley County, and Trooper First Class Joshua Tallman was shot while apprehending an armed suspect in Pocahontas County.