A SPECIAL DELIVERY
Program sends fresh Christmas tress to military personnel
CHARLTON, N.Y. » Separation from loved ones isn’t easy for soldiers, especially during the holidays.
Sgt. Jennifer Koenig, of Middle Grove, understands how difficult deployments are for family members, waiting back home, as well.
That’s why she pitched in Monday to help with a local Trees for Troops effort, part of a nationwide program that delivers fresh Christmas trees to military personnel and their families throughout the U.S. and around the world.
“I’m a single mom with a 4-year- old son, Anthony,” Koenig said. “When I go away to schools, training, and things like that I know what it’s like for him when I’m away from home.”
About three dozen volunteers loaded 150 trees from local farms onto a large Fed-Ex truck bound for Fort Bragg, N.C. The collection was coordinated by Ellms Family Farms.
“Having that little slice of home is a great reminder of how much the homefront cares,” said Chip Ellms, farm co- owner.
Helpers turned out from New York Army National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters and 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, in Latham; the Scotia-based Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing; and Patriot Guard Riders.
An Army National Guard unit from Western New York deployed
to the Ukraine last week.
Soon, Air Guard members will be making a trip to the South Pole.
“You can’t get much farther away from home than that,” said Army National Guard Colonel Richard Goldenberg. “It’s the opposite of where Santa lives.”
In addition to trees, the delivery includes hundreds of colorful paper ornaments made by children in Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central Schools. Also, Girl Scouts provided stars for troops made from real, retired American flags.
This is Trees for Troops’ 13th year. With this year’s donations, the program nationally has now donated more than 200,000 trees to U. S. military personnel stationed at more than 60 bases around the globe.
Fed-Ex driver Don Pelletier, of Colonie, said he remembers how much his son, Chris, appreciated a fresh tree from home when he was in the Marines. “It was the greatest thing,” he said. “This is a good cause. Everybody’s got a family member that was in the military.”
Patriot Guard Riders help out with the Leatherstocking Honor Flight program and provide motorcycle escorts and honor guards for veterans’ funerals. This was their first time participating in Trees for Troops.
“We were glad to be asked,” said Ride Captain Paul Orzolek. “It’s a way of giving back to those who served our country. That’s our goal, to help veterans and their families however we can.”
Assistant state Captain Ray Sestak, of Glenmont, f lew combat reconnaissance missions over Vietnam during his four years in the Air Force from 196771. Programs such as Trees for Troops didn’t exist back then.
“It took three weeks just to get a letter from home,” he said. “This is a great program.”
Some Patriot Guard Riders are veterans and some aren’t, such as Cindy Owen of Rock City Falls.
“My father was in World War II,” she said. “I just think it’s important to let our soldiers know they aren’t forgotten, wherever they are. That’s why I’m doing this.”
In addition to Ellms, other Capital Region businesses that donated trees are Avery’s Trees, Bailey Family Christmas Trees, Bob’s Trees, Brookside Nursery, Buhrmaster Farms, Fogg Hollow Farm, Goderie’s Tree Farm, Goode Trees, Herba’s Acres Tree Farm, Hewitt’s Garden Center, Holland Hill, McDonough’s Farm, Olsen Hill Farm, Riverbend Christmas Tree Farm and Sausville Farm.
Individual donors are the T. Byrne, Brouthers, M. Katz and A. Nappi families.