The state capitol will celebrate the holidays this year with help from a 40-foot balsam fir from Pelican Lake in Oneida County.
Dennis Shoeneck is owner of logging company Enterprise Forest Products. He’s donating the large tree for the statehouse rotunda, along with more than a dozen smaller trees for outside the Capitol Square and Governor’s residence.
Shoeneck describes how Madison officials came to check out the trees earlier this spring, and notified him of their selections.
“Oh I would like to think it’s all the great care I gave it over the years, but I’m sure that’s not it. You know it’s just one of those things, they saw it, they liked it, and thought it was cool, so I’m very honored by that.”
The theme for this year’s decorations is honoring veterans, and Governor Scott Walker is asking students from around the state to contribute hand-made ornaments around the theme.
Schoeneck says that makes donating the trees all the more special.
“I’m really excited. When I think that a tree off of my property is going to bless our state’s capitol, honoring our veterans? That’s a pretty high honor for me, and I’m very humbled by that.”
The trees are scheduled to be heading to Madison later next week.
Last year’s statehouse rotunda tree also came from a tree farm not far away, near Antigo.
