GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) Wisconsin is known for its Christmas trees and now over 300 from Northeast Wisconsin are being shipped to members of the military. Kris Schuller tells us the gifts are donated by area tree growers in a nationwide effort called Trees for Troops.
On a cold November morning at Lambeau Field Christmas tree growers from Northeast Wisconsin gather.
“If I had to guess I’d say there’s at least 20 different farms here,” said Chris Duffy from Whispering Pines tree farm.
To donate some of their crop to the Trees for Troops program, whose mission is to make the holidays brighter for military families living on 79 bases in the U.S.
“Military families, they give up so much for our freedoms, so this is a small thing we can do in return,” said Shawn McDonough from Bay View Tree Farm.
“A Christmas tree, we hope, makes the people that are serving our country feel better,” said grower Ron Tillman of Tillman Trees.
This is the 16th year growers nationwide have stepped up to make a difference. People like Paul Schroeder have supported the effort all 16 years.
“Freedom comes with a price and we are not in position to pay that price. But we can certainly send a tree and make a happy family at the military bases,” said Schroeder.
325 trees are going to be leaving Lambeau and heading down south to military bases in Texas and in Georgia. Since 2005 U.S. growers have donated nearly a quarter million Christmas trees. This year Wisconsin tree farmers will donate 800 of the nearly 15,000 nationwide being picked up and delivered by FedEx.
“My boss, he just goes Trees for Troops, this date, I’m there. It’s an honor, it’s really an honor,”
said FedEx driver, Len Savage.
“A tree is the center of the Christmas celebration without a doubt has been for 500 years,” Schroeder said.
And thanks to these growers happy holidays are ahead for so many in the military.
If you’d like to donate to the effort visit this link.
