LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Joyce Chowanec loves Christmas. Her home in Peckville is filled with the holiday spirit, but she's spent years trying to help decorate the most famous home in the country—the White House.
Chowanec has applied eight times to be one of 300 volunteers selected to decorate the White House for the holidays.
"You have to acknowledge what you've done, why you think you'd be important in decorating the White House with the other volunteers. So I just poured out my heart on my sleeve."
This year, she was finally selected. Chowanec made the trip from Lackawanna County to Washington D.C., on Thanksgiving and spent three days decorating.
"I worked personally in the state dining room where we ate every day, which was amazing, and we decorated Santa's Workshop."
On Monday, the completed project was unveiled, and the volunteers were treated to a special brunch hosted by First Lady Jill Biden.
"She acknowledged our presence there and how much they appreciated all of us spending the time in the White House, the people's house. And she then greeted each and every one of us."
Chowanec says the experience was one she'll never forget, and she also received some gifts to keep those memories—an apron she wore while decorating, the annual White House ornament, and a book describing the design of this year's theme "Magic, Wonder, and Joy."
"Why the decorations are the way they are. And it's just a beautiful remembrance."
Chowanec said she'd jump at the chance to help decorate the White House again in the future.