Trees for Troops

Trees for Troops Day at Fleming’s Christmas Tree Farms

Make a soldier’s holiday season a little merrier by sending them a reminder of home. You can bring some Christmas cheer to a soldier or a military family by simply donating a tree for them to enjoy.

Trees for Troops, a program created jointly by the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and FedEx, has provided over 103,000 trees since 2005. These trees go to military families both in the United States and overseas, and they end up at more than 60 different military bases. Trees for Troops sent its 100,000^th tree in 2011, and the program continues to be a success.

Although Trees for Troops is a nationwide program, Fleming’s Christmas Tree Farms has become particularly involved. Fleming’s Christmas Tree Farms holds a festival each year to encourage people to either buy to specific tree to send or donate money to the program. Not only does Fleming’s donate trees to send to the military, but these farms also act as the distribution center for Western Pennsylvania.

This year, the Fleming’s Christmas Tree Farms Trees for Troops Festival will be held Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Note that the festival will be held at the Indiana farm only, located at 1803 Fleming Road, Indiana, Pa., 15701.

You can purchase a 6’ Christmas tree for a soldier or a military family for $25. Each tree will be sent with a tag for the recipient to read, including the donor’s name and an optional handwritten holiday wish or note. This is a great way of personally giving thanks to the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our country. If you do not wish to purchase an entire tree by yourself, you can still make a monetary donation that will go toward the program, and you may still write a personal note to the soldiers and their families.

The festival will include the following:

                Raffles

                Horse Drawn Wagon Rides

                Activity Table

                Concession Stand

                Games

                Picture Opportunities

                Live Radio Broadcast

                Live Music

These trees help bring a morale boost to the soldiers who are stationed away from their families. Something as simple as smelling a real evergreen tree while serving in a foreign country can help these soldiers feel more at home, and it’s a great reminder that someone from the United States is thinking about them during the holiday season.

Soldiers have said that having these trees lets them feel as though they can truly celebrate Christmas, even though they are away from their loved ones. The holiday season is a difficult time to be separated from family and friends. Anything that civilians can do to make this time a little more bearable, they say, is helpful.

The Christmas trees also go to soldiers’ families. The holidays can seem empty and meaningless when a parent is serving away from home. Some of the donated trees from Fleming’s Christmas Tree Farms will end up at the homes of military families, where they are enjoyed by spouses and children. The trees help the families remember that others are thinking about them and supporting them while loved ones are away. The simple gift of a Christmas tree can help bring a little more cheer to those who are missing someone.

If you’re unable to come to Fleming’s Christmas Tree Farms Trees for Troops Festival this year, you can still help the program. Call Fleming’s Christmas Tree Farms at 724-463-0570. You can still buy a tree or donate money to help support our troops.