Barber’s, Legion back ‘Trees for Troops’

• Trees will be shipped to military bases

Richard DeCosta, Ellsworth American Legion Post commander, and Louis Barber, Legionnaire, are ready to send trees to the troops. Submitted photo

Talk about it

BELDENVILLE — Barber’s Christmas Trees of Beldenville is donating trees to “Trees for Troops” and the Ellsworth American Legion Post 204 will transport them to the state collection point as part of their Americanism Program.

For the fourth consecutive year, FedEx Corp and the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation are teaming up for Trees for Troops. In the coming weeks, Christmas tree growers, retailers and FedEx will donate and deliver approximately 16,000 real Christmas trees to more than 45 military bases in the United States and overseas.

The 2008 program kicked off Nov. 12 in Columbus, Ohio, with the pick-up of 300 trees to be delivered to activated service members stationed in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. A second international shipment of approximately 100 trees departed from Indianapolis on Nov. 20 for service members stationed in Bahrain and the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

Last year, more than 750 tree growers in 29 states donated 17,000 trees that were delivered to 40-plus military bases. In total, more than 34,000 real Christmas trees have been distributed to families in every branch of the military at 40-plus bases in 17 countries.

In the U.S., FedEx freight trucks have traveled an estimated 90,000 over-the-road miles to pick up and deliver the trees during the past three years.

Tags: community, trees, for, troops, christmas