LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Celebrating its fifth year, Trees for Troops will deliver Christmas trees free of charge to military families at Lackland.
The trees will be distributed Dec. 10 and 11 at Outdoor Recreation. Distribution for deployed members' spouses begins at 2 p.m. and to active-duty families at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 11. Distribution continues Dec. 11, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
"Our military and their families have been providing a real service to our country," said Mark Steelhammer, president of the National Christmas Tree Association and a Christmas tree farmer from Rochester, Wash. "As Christmas tree farmers, we want them to be able to experience a traditional Christmas with a real tree, especially if a family member is currently serving overseas."
More than 15,000 real, fresh Christmas trees will be collected and delivered to military families across the United States, as well as to servicemembers serving overseas this year.
The Trees for Troops program was launched in 2005, delivering more than 4,300 Christmas trees to five U.S. military bases, as well as an overseas shipment to the Middle East.
Since then, the program has delivered 50,000 trees to more than 50 military bases and units in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East and the 5th Fleet in the Gulf.
"Trees for Troops (has been) a huge success," says Christmas SPIRIT Foundation chairman Nigel Manley, a Christmas tree grower in Bethlehem, N.H. "It really resonated with our industry and the military."
This year, consumers will also have the opportunity to purchase and donate trees to the program at more than 40 farm and retail lot locations across the U.S.
Trees for Troops is sponsored by the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and FedEx Corp. For more information, call Lackland Outdoor Recreation at 925-5532 or 925-5533, or visit
www.TreesforTroops.org.