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Transcript/Script White House – Holiday Volunteers
HEADLINE: Hundreds of Volunteers Get White House Ready for Christmas
TEASER: Three hundred people from across the country spend up to a week decorating presidential mansion for the holidays
PUBLISHED: 11/27/2023 at 6:30 pm
BYLINE: Dora Mekouar
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER: Hakim Shammo
PRODUCER: Dora Mekouar, Hakim Shammo
SCRIPT EDITORS: cobus, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Original VOA, AP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:50
VID APPROVED BY: mia
NOTE: Dora is writing an accompanying web story
SOUND & BROLL:
—VOA original https://app.frame.io/projects/ae30dd8f-b6c4-418a-b02d-530603115a58/53031471-1860-40b3-8c12-f11ee9e73abd
—AP4465793
—AP 4465794 (Jill Biden today))
((INTRO))
[[ Every year, thousands of people from across the United States volunteer for a very exclusive holiday experience – the chance to decorate the White House for Christmas. Of all of those applicants, only 300 lucky people are chosen. VOA’s Dora Mekouar [meh-kwar] reports.]]
((NARRATOR))
The White House is extra magical during the holidays and that’s thanks to hundreds of volunteers who decorate the presidential residence. Thousands apply, but only a lucky few, 300 people, are chosen.
((Carlos Elizondo, White House Social Secretary))
“Our volunteers are selected for, you know, some for their talent, some for, you know, for the essays that they write.”
“People that come from across America that aren't necessarily designers, right. They’re, you know, they’re military spouses, or they’re, you know, they’re housewives. This year, I feel like we had a lot of educators.”
((NARRATOR))
First lady Jill Biden selected this year’s theme — the magic, joy and wonder of the holidays as experienced by children. The volunteers experience a little magic and wonder as well.
((Andrew Boza, Volunteer from New York))
“We walked on the front lawn, and I just looked back and, after years of being on the other side of the gate, you know, seeing this beautiful house. I just had this moment where it just filled me with such gratitude.”
((Marite Espinoza Sanchez, Volunteer from Texas)) “As an American citizen, as an immigrant as well, you always look at the White House and think ‘Oh my god, this is, you know, such a wonderful place.’ Maybe thinking that it's unattainable and being here so special for me.”
((NARRATOR))
But once they get past the excitement of being at the White House, the volunteers get to work decorating during Thanksgiving week.
((Charlotte Smith, Volunteer from Connecticut))
“There's a couple of days that are spent in another location prepping all the crafts. It looks so polished and beautiful now when you see it, but what I love about it is that everything starts with sheets of paper and glue sticks and scissors and ribbon.”
((Marite Espinoza Sanchez, Volunteer from Texas)) “Everyone would look at the White House and think, ‘Oh my god, everything's, you know, like, so perfect.’ But there's so much detail, so much crafting, that goes into the decorations.”
((Dennis Setteducati, Volunteer from New York)) “We had some people that were, you know, specifically decorating the
trees, and then we also had some people that were kind of doing the building and the heavy lifting.”
((Andrew Boza, Volunteer from New York))
“What’s really special is the energy of of the, workdays are very long hours. But there is just this excitement. It really feels like Christmas spirit.”
((NARRATOR))
The volunteers say they’ll remember the sense of camaraderie and accomplishment they felt while decorating the White House for the holidays.
((Charlotte Smith, Volunteer from Connecticut))
“It's everything from individual pride to see the little ornament that you made or the little garland that you hung, but realizing how many people are going to come through here and feel the wonder of the season.”
((Dennis Setteducati, Volunteer from New York)) “We couldn't have our cell phones in here, so we were untethered, but it was so easy to speak to our neighbors.// Strike up a conversation, you know, and, you know, I feel like the we're so divided now, but what I found so special is that we're more alike than we think.”
((NARRATOR))
Some of the volunteers have decorated the White House before and look forward to experiencing this particular piece of holiday magic again.
((NARRATOR))
((Dora Mekouar, VOA News, Washington))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
in Washington D. C.
Embargo DateNovember 27, 2023 20:19 EST
Byline
Dora Mekouar, VOA News
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
