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11 December 2006 A Tradition returns to the Rotunda
Following the grand illumination, Dr. James Jordan, professor of anthropology, entertained the gathering with tales about how the evergreen, holly, and the poinsettia have become a part of holiday lore. On Friday, Dec. 8, the Camerata Singers entertained the campus and community with a selection of seasonal songs performed around the new holiday tree and the balustrades of the Rotunda. |
Students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Rotunda in Ruffner Hall recently as Dr. Patricia Cormier
lighted a new holiday tree, marking the return of a holiday tradition that has been absent since the Great Fire of 2001. The artificial tree, measuring 30 feet tall and reaching to the third level of the Rotunda, was
purchased with the support of the Student Government Association (SGA), the Alumni Association, and a private donor. 
The tree is adorned with 21,800 lights according to Longwood junior Kyle Pretsch, SGA leader and president of the Class of 2008, who was instrumental in bringing this holiday tradition back to the Rotunda. Over 300 students, faculty, and staff attended and celebrated the return of this long-time Longwood tradition. Refreshments, including a colorful cake, were provided by Aramark and holiday poinsettias were graciously donated by Longwood alumnus Bill Gouldin, president and CEO of Strange’s Florists, Greenhouses, and Garden Centers in Richmond. 
