Rockford Christmas tree getting new life as table

DURAND, Ill. (AP) - The towering Christmas tree that illuminated downtown Rockford this holiday season is getting a second life as a custom-designed wood table.

Members of the public will get a shot at owning the holiday memento in a March 18 auction organized by the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Workers at Mulvain Woodworks in the village of Durand have sawn the 50-foot, 5,000-pound Norway spruce into slabs of wood. The pieces were loaded into a kiln to draw moisture out of the wood. Later, the wood will be sanded, edged and assembled.

The Rockford Register Star reports (http://bit.ly/1Qqx79S ) the table will be auctioned at the Paint the (Down)town Green event, which will also feature live music and food.

___

Information from: Rockford Register Star, http://www.rrstar.com