AWB - Association of Washington Business

Lighting Up the Holidays

Gov. Jay Inslee joined the 30th anniversary of the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting, which AWB sponsors as a free, public event for the state. Eighteen rural fire districts received a bag of toys and a $1,000 check to use to bring Christmas joy to needy families in their communities. Dozens of AWB members and other donors give to the program every year. Read more about this festive event, and about the hundreds of people across the state whose holidays are brighter because of it, at Olympia Business Watch. And check out this fun video roundup of the tree-lighting ceremony.

Gov. Jay Inslee joins the military family that lit this year's Holiday Kids' Tree. The family: Officer Jon Hazan of the Olympia Police Department, and a former Sergeant in the Army Reserves with the 448th Civil Affairs Battalion, along with his wife Christy and their 6-year-old son Matthew and 5-year-old daughter Allison. They joined Gov. Inslee and AWB at the tree-lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

AWB President Kris Johnson opens the ceremony at the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Images from the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

The eighth-grade choir from Washington Middle School in Olympia performed at the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Gov. Jay Inslee joins the military family that lit this year's Holiday Kids' Tree. The family: Officer Jon Hazan of the Olympia Police Department, and a former Sergeant in the Army Reserves with the 448th Civil Affairs Battalion, along with his wife Christy and their 6-year-old son Matthew and 5-year-old daughter Allison. They joined Gov. Inslee and AWB at the tree-lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Santa and Mrs. Claus meet with children at the foot of the 2018 Holiday Kids' Tree, shortly after the lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Eighteen rural fire departments received bags of toys and grants of $1,000 to bring Christmas cheer and happy holidays to needy families in their communities. It was part of the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Images from the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Gov. Jay Inslee joins longtime Holiday Kids' Tree volunteer fundraiser Pat Dunn and a young friend during the reception at the 2018 Holiday Kids' Tree lighting in the state Capitol on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

The eighth-grade choir from Washington Middle School in Olympia performed at the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Images from the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of Bald Hills Fire Dept. and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of the Bucoda Fire Dept. and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

A representative of Central Mason Fire & EMS and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of Chelan Fire and Rescue with Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of East Olympia Fire Dist. 6 and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

A representative of Grant County Fire Dist. 8 and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of Grays Harbor Fire Dist. 1 and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of McLane Black Lake Fire Dept. and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Gov. Jay Inslee greets a representative of the Okanogan County Fire Dist. 6 during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

A representative of Okanogan County Fire Dist. 6 and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

A representative of Thurston County Fire Protection Disrict 8 (South Bay) and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of South Thurston Fire & EMS (Tenino) and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of Southeast Thurston Fire Authority (Rainier and Yelm) and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of Walla Walla County Fire District 4 and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of Littlerock Station - West Thurston Fire Dist. and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Gov. Jay Inslee greets a representative of the Rochester Station of West Thurston Fire Dist. during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Representatives of Rochester Station - West Thurston Fire Dist. and Gov. Jay Inslee during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Gov. Jay Inslee shares a light moment with a representatives of West Thurston Fire Dist. during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)

Gov. Jay Inslee greets representatives of the Bald Hills Fire Department during the Holiday Kids' Tree lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the state Capitol in Olympia. (Photo: Brian Mittge/AWB)