TREES FOR TROOPS 2011

Michigan Christmas tree growers are donating 1,100 real Christmas trees in an effort to help military families celebrate the upcoming holiday. The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation in cooperation with FedEx and the Michigan Christmas Tree Association announce a Trees for Troops program that will provide farmgrown Christmas trees to more than 16,000 troops and their families. The program expects to deliver its 100,000th Christmas tree this season since the program’s inception in 2005.

FedEx will pick up 300 of the 1,100 trees donated by Michigan growers at 10:00 am on November 29 at Dutchman Tree Farms, located at 9689 W. Walker Rd., Manton, MI 49663. These trees will become part of the more than 16,000 donated fresh Christmas trees for the Trees for Troops effort. The Michigan-grown trees loaded at Dutchman Tree Farms are destined for Fort Hood.

The Trees for Troops program will first collect, and then deliver the fresh Christmas trees to families at 63 military bases across America. The Trees for Troops program provides a way for all Americans to show their appreciation for the sacrifices that U.S. troops and their families are making this holiday season.

Members of the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) and at least 20 state or regional Christmas Tree Associations are donating the Christmas trees. FedEx is providing free shipping. The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation – based in Chesterfield, Mo, is a not-for-profit foundation that advances the Christmas spirit for children, families and the environment. Trees for Troops is just one of its projects.

For more details, go to www.ChristmasSpiritFoundation.org. Consumers that are interested in supporting the Trees for Troops program and the Christmas Spirit Foundation can make a contribution on-line at: www.ChirstmasSpiritFoundation.org.

Many Michigan Choose & Cut Christmas tree growers will also be accepting contributions for the Christmas Spirit Foundation and to support Trees for Troops at their farms throughout the Christmas season.

To make arrangements for on-site interviews and photos during the scheduled pick up of trees, contact Chris Maciborski at Dutchman Tree Farms: (231) 839-7901 or Marsha Gray at the Michigan Christmas Tree Association:(517)242-1630 (cell)

For More Information Contact:
Marsha Gray
Michigan Christmas Tree Association
517-545-9971
517-242-1630 (cell)
517-545-4501(fax)
mjgray1@charter.net

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The year my Mother Stole the Christmas Tree

It’s that time of year, the temperature has dropped and we can start listening to and singing Christmas Carols without feeling guilty, or getting dirty looks. As it begins to look a lot like Christmas I like to think back to some of my favorite Christmas memories. There was the year I got a ballerina costume, it was the same Christmas that my brother got a bike that was too big for him and he had to stand on the bumper of the station wagon to even get on. Then there was the year my mom stole our Christmas tree. I’m not saying she pulled a Grinch and stole Christmas; no she actually stole a Christmas tree.

Growing up my mother’s least favorite holiday activity was getting the Christmas Tree. She always seemed to wait so long to get one and as we got older she seemed to wait even longer. So that particular year we were all off at college and we came home for Christmas to no Christmas tree at all. Mom said that she had just been waiting for us to get there. So Christmas Eve evening, my mother and brother set out to get our real Christmas tree. They came back with the prettiest tree that we had ever had! When asked where she got such a beautiful tree on Christmas Eve, my mother’s response was “we found it on the ground.”

Come to find out they did find it on the ground, the ground of a Christmas tree lot that was closed. My Mother is not allowed to “find” the Christmas tree anymore and this year I am just sending her one from ATreeForChristmas.com, that way we don’t have to worry about potential incarceration during the holiday season.

Have a favorite Christmas memory that you would like to share on our blog, send it to socialmedia@ductmantreefarms.com and don’t forget you can “find” your real Christmas Tree at www.ATreeForChristmas.com get 10% off when you use the promo code HASSLEFREE.