Trees for Troops
The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation (CSF) – with support from FedEx Freight – has delivered more than 84,000 Real Christmas Trees to military families since Trees for Troops began in 2005. It has grown from about 400 Christmas Tree growers and retailers participating to more than 850. Over 17,000 families at more than 50 military bases received a Real Christmas Tree in 2010. This year, CSF and FedEx anticipate delivering another 17,000+ trees to military families in the U.S. and overseas, to reach our 100,000th tree milestone!
31 comments
Barbara Wyatt • over 14 years ago
This is an amazing program. It is awesome to have a job where "Christmas" is in your vocabulary every day. It keeps you "in the Spirit". Barbara W.
Linda Pasto • over 14 years ago
Thanks for this program. My son's unit got a tree from Moore's Christmas Tree farm. The guys kept going up to it and touching it to see if it was real. It made their tour in Afghanistan more bearable.
Caitlin S • over 14 years ago
This is a great program and I'm proud to say I know the Moores and they are GREAT people! :) Keep voting!!
Lauren Mangnall • over 14 years ago
I'm so proud to work on this amazing program and happy to say that we reached and exceeded our 100,000 tree milestone on December 9th. The 100,000th tree was donated to a family stationed at Camp Pendleton in California. Visit www.treesfortroops.org for pictures are more information.
Patricia Hedrick • over 14 years ago
I remember as a little girl going to the Moore's farm to get our tree. Now, I am retired Air Force and have sent a Christmas tree to Afghanistan and Iraq. It truly means the world to me that the Moore's participate in the Trees for Troops program. They are wonderful people! Love you Rich, KC, Michelle, Gretchen, and Jason!
Trish (Klube) Hedrick
Mary Darling • over 14 years ago
We are so proud to be a part of this program! We want our soldiers home but til that happens, we will support them in best way we know possible: giving them a farm fresh, home grown, made in the USA Christmas tree!!!!!
Darlings Tree Farm, NY
Michelle Fortier • over 14 years ago
This is a great program with many loyal supporters. Thank you for voting and thank you for your help! I know we can win this! Keep voting! Set your clock to ensure you vote every 24 hours.
Laura Musser • over 14 years ago
We have participated in this program for many years by donating trees from our farm. We have received many notes from the service people that received our trees expressing their appreciation and letting us know how the tree brightened their Christmas. Keep voting for this wonderful program!
Joan Merrell • over 14 years ago
We have been priviledged to be a part of this great program for several years now, as a pick up location for Oregon. And it was our pleasure to be present this year at Camp Pendleton on Dec 9th, to see the 100,000 tree be given away. Silver Mountain Christmas Trees is proud to support our troops!
Nigel Manley • over 14 years ago
I am proud to be the Chair of the CSF and in particular to be a part of the T4T program. Thank you to everyone for supporting such a worth while cause. I voted today, did you?
Paul Battaglia • over 14 years ago
A great program for a very deserving group of men, women and their families. Battaglia Ranch is proud to have been affiliated with the program since it began in 2005.
Paul Battaglia • over 14 years ago
Very impressed to learn what Michelle is doing to further the success of the program. Way to Go Michelle!
crystal bertrand • over 14 years ago
What a great program for the Woman and men out there fight,way to go Michelle for making it such a success
Michelle Fortier • over 14 years ago
Thanks for the nice comments. Many many people are involved in this great program including over 800 tree farmers around the country, 50 retailer locations, hundreds of reliable Fedex employees and drivers, customers who donate trees and the dedicated Trees for Troop staff who took this nugget of an idea and turned it into a nationwide effort to show troops how grateful we all are. Please see this video from Pentagon News Channel which captures the essence of this program
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TCMMFfpVvU&feature=relmfu
peter brooks • over 14 years ago
When you're away from home during Christmas, NOTHING makes you feel better than a REAL Christmas Tree! Thank you all.
Mary Darling • over 14 years ago
A challenging day - We are in 3rd place and the value of this program is so special for our troops and their families. We continue to support them as we know best!
Thanks to all of you who remember to vote every day!
Katherine Humphrey • over 14 years ago
Notes of appreciation from Trees for Troops recipients of Fraser fir from All Western Evergreen Nursery & Christmas Tree Farm in Springwater, NY are a delight to receive. Thank you to everyone involved in this program and for those who continue to vote daily.
jim whorton • over 14 years ago
We agree with others about the "TREEmendous" benefits from this program, as it shows our military that so many are with them in their effort to protect us and many others on earth. Chub Lake Tree Farm has hosted a trailer drop site the past four years, and has been suported by several treegrowers in Northern Minnesota as well as, many customers who come to our farm, to make Trees For Troops Successful.
CJ Brown • over 14 years ago
This is a wonderful program and we are very proud to be a collection point in NYS. We have many loyal donators and we thank each and every one of them.....our military families deserve to celebrate Christmas with a REAL GROWN IN THE USA Christmas tree and it is our way of saying Thank You to all who keep us safe and out of harms way.... PLEASE VOTE EACH DAY
cjb
Mary Darling • over 14 years ago
We are only a few votes out of 4th place and this is such an important project for our soldiers. We talked with such a soldier and his 2 young boys today at the airport. He told us he received a tree at Ft Campbell Kentucky back in December. It meant the world to him and his family and he thanked us for it. But you know, we thanked him back as he is doing so much more for us!!!!!
Ken Maul • over 14 years ago
What a wonderful story Mary. Thanks for sharing your airport encounter with the soldier from Ft Campbell! That is a great thing to hear that just one tree made such a difference. Our military deserves the best!
Kitty Smart • over 14 years ago
Just wanted to again say thank you to Trees for Troops! For the second year in a row, We had a wonderful REAL tree to enjoy for Christmas . My children truly looked forward to going to pick out their real tree and had a blast doing so. That wouldn't have been possible had you gracious folks not provided the trees! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Kathleen Zagata • over 14 years ago
2/21/2012
Last night a Marine who recently returned from deployment visited our monthly Military Family Support Group meeting. When we mentioned that the Trees for Troops Program was a national finalist, the young man smiled and related his experience. First off, no one is expecting a LIVE Christmas tree in a war zone. This soldier placed his tree outside the tent so all could enjoy it. He explained that one soldier would stop just to smell the tree. On Christmas Eve, many opened care packages and placed them under the tree for all to share. Even a ‘bah humbug” sergeant was caught placing a paper cut out star on the top bow.
For the past two years, trees have been offered to our deployed loved ones. This year ten families requested trees at no cost or financial burden. In our seven years as a support group, a live tree with holiday trimmings ranks the Number One Care Package. As one soldier emailed, “The next best thing to being home for the holidays is getting a tree.
Thanks for finding a way to send Holiday Joy in a box. Thanks for mentoring what it means to Support the Troops. You’ve got our vote! You are number one in our hearts.
With appreciation,
The Military Family Support Group
for Concord MA and Communities of the Greater Boston Area
Ken Maul • over 14 years ago
Trees for Troops is so special. Please share this video which captures what this program means to so many people - kids who help, tree farmers, Fedex employees, and most importantly military families who deserve our best!
Encourage your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews to vote!
http://www.youtube.com/user/ChristmasSPIRITFdn
Charlotte Ayers • over 14 years ago
Trees for Troops for me in the last 4-yrs has been a really special event. So much so that I've made it a point to be included as a volunteer to the distribution of this much appreciated holiday cheer to the troops and their families at MacDill AFB Tampa, FL. As a veteran and FedEx employee, it's a treat and honor to aid those currently serving as well as deserving of cheer during a 'any year, stress-filled period'. My vote being counted is accolade enough as the Christmas Spirit Foundation (with help of FedEx Corporation) is doing an AWESOME thing!!