Locally grown Christmas trees headed to U.S. military bases
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. » A rainy Monday morning did not stop area Trees For Troops participants from getting more than 100 locally grown Christmas trees on their way to U.S. military members this holiday season.
Real trees donated by greater Capital Region farms and retailers were loaded onto a large FedEx truck on Monday at Ellms Christmas Trees, the upstate New York drop point for the Trees For Troops program.
Through this annual nationwide effort, a total of 14,500 trees are expected to be delivered this year to U.S. military bases, as well as international shipments to military bases overseas.
The trees collected at Monday’s event came from more than a dozen regional farms and businesses including Avery’s Trees, Bailey Family Christmas Trees, Bob’s Trees, Brookside Nursery, Ellms Christmas Trees, Goderie’s Tree Farm, Goode Trees, Herba’s Acres Tree Farm, Hewitt’s Garden Center, Holland Hill, McDonough’s Farm, Olsen Hill Farm, River Bend Christmas Tree Farm and Sausville Farm.
Additionally, handmade ornaments created by students were provided by Burnt Hills - Ballston Lake schools, and embroidered stars from retired U.S. flags were donated by Troy-based charitable organization Stars for our Troops.
New York Army National Guard public affairs officer Col. Richard Goldenberg, who was at the event on Monday, said that Trees For Troops is about “providing a little bit of the holiday spirit to troops all around the world, and for our families who are back at home without their loved one.”
This program comes at the end of a challenging year, Goldenberg noted when he said that like the service members who spend the holidays at a military base, and their families far away, a lot of families are going to be without some of their loved ones this holiday season due to COVID-19. He continued, “2020 is clearly not like any other year we’ve experienced before, but there’s one this that is going to endure in our hearts, and that’s the holidays.”
Ellms Christmas Trees in Ballston Spa has been involved with Trees For Troops for many years. “We’re doing our 16th year for our Trees For Troops and it continues strong,” said farmer Chip Ellms, who believes the mission of this program - delivering the spirit of Christmas to military families, one Christmas tree at a time - is an important one.
Trees for Troops is an initiative of the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, a charitable branch of the National Christmas Tree Association.
“People appreciate the sacrifices military members and their families make each and every day,” National Christmas Tree Association president Dick Moore, owner of Moore Tree Farm LLC in Groton, N.Y., said in a press release. “And, as Christmas Tree farmers, we want to provide a little Christmas spirit and maybe start a new tradition with military families to be able to experience a traditional Christmas with a Real Tree.”
Christmas SPIRIT Foundation chair Nigel Manley,
a Christmas tree grower in New Hampshire, added, “Trees for Troops is a great program! It is a win-winwin situation for everyone involved. Christmas Tree growers love doing something for a cause, the military is appreciative of what
they receive and FedEx makes it so easy for everyone involved.”
The collection and delivery of trees will continue through the beginning of December. Supporters may make contributions to the
Christmas SPIRIT Foundation at www.ChristmasSPIRITFoundation.org or can make a $10 donation via their mobile phone by texting the word ‘ TREE’ to 50555.
Consumers also have the opportunity to purchase
trees to donate to the program at various FedEx trailer drop locations across the nation.
More information about Trees for Troops, including ways to donate, can be found online at treesfortroops.org.