Community invited to annual tree lighting ceremony

Northwest students and community members celebrated the holiday season during last year's tree lighting ceremony at the Thomas Gaunt House. (Photo by Lilly Cook/Northwest Missouri State University)

Northwest Missouri State University will host its annual President's Tree Lighting on Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Thomas Gaunt House and invites the community to join in the tradition that helps usher in the holiday season on the campus.

Northwest President Dr. Lance Tatum and First Lady Jill Tatum will host the program, which begins at 5:30 p.m. The program will include remarks from President Tatum and Student Senate President Phillip Motazedi as well as music performed by Northwest's Tower Choir and the Horace Mann Laboratory School choir.

After the tree-lighting ceremony, attendees may take photos with Bobby Bearcat and Santa Claus at the Hubbard Hearth and Fireplace at the Gaunt House patio, in addition to enjoying refreshments. Children are invited to make a holiday craft and reindeer food.

"The holiday season truly is a favorite time of year for Jill and me, and we look forward to welcoming the Northwest community to the Gaunt House each year for this special event," President Tatum said. "It is a treasured experience to gather and reflect on the year in the company of our community while we celebrate the spirit of the season."

The Gaunt House, located on Fourth Street at the south edge of the University campus, was built during the 1870s and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It has served as a residence for Northwest presidents since the institution's founding in 1905.