thedrifter
11-05-08, 05:10 AM
Live Christmas Trees for Deployed Troops
Maryland Charity plans to send 5,000 pine and fir trees to Afghanistan and Iraq through Operation Christmas Tree.
Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) November 5, 2008 -- Deployed American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines will get a whiff of genuine homefront Christmas celebrations this year through Operation Christmas Tree (http://operationchristmastree.com/). A charitable effort of the family-led Support Military Heroes organization, Operation Christmas Tree is planning to send live, fragrant, 2-foot Christmas trees to American military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year they sent 5,000 trees, but this year's goal is to ship 7,000.
The project began in 2006 when the daughter of James and Betty Ward of Westminster, MD was deployed to Iraq. They decided to send her a bit of home--a standard-sized Christmas tree--but were unable to solve the challenge of shipping it. Instead, they settled on sending as many 2-foot trees as possible to their daughter and others stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The recipients of the 75 trees sent were so excited that James and Betty decided to make Operation Christmas Tree a yearly project until the troops come home permanently.
Sending pine and fir trees to dry climates such as those found in much of Aghanistan and Iraq may seem a bit odd, but James reports the trees have done well. "The trees are sent in pots and most soldiers plant them outdoors after Christmas. Surprisingly, we seem to be starting a forest over there; they withstand drought conditions better than we thought. One soldier even took her tree home to Germany by carrying it in her lap on the flight out of Iraq."
This year's trees were donated by home improvement store Home Depot, and the Wards have been scrambling to raise the $30,000 required to ship all 5,000 trees to deployed American military personnel before Christmas. A package of battery-powered miniature lights (complete with batteries), and a package of miniature ornaments will be included with each tree shipped to a combat zone, allowing recipients to participate in traditional holiday decorating. A $25 donation covers the cost of shipping and decorations for each tree, which can be addressed to a specific soldier or an entire unit.
Having the beautiful sight and smell (http://operationchristmastree.com/testimonials.php) of a live fir or pine at Christmas in the desert of Iraq or the bare mountains of Afghanistan is a tremendous gift to military men and women separated from family and the traditional sights and smells of the holiday season. Soldiers' Angels supports Operation Christmas Tree and is asking for the help of patriotic Americans who can join them in giving the troops a bit of Christmas in a faraway land.
For more information about Operation Christmas tree, see www.OperationChristmasTree.com.
ABOUT SOLDIERS' ANGELS
Established in 2003, Soldiers' Angels is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) non-profit providing aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, as well as veterans and military families. For more information, see www.soldiersangels.org or call 626-529-5114. Tax ID# 20-0583415
Contact Information
PATTI BADER
Soldiers' Angels
http://www.soldiersangels.org
626-529-5114
Ellie
Maryland Charity plans to send 5,000 pine and fir trees to Afghanistan and Iraq through Operation Christmas Tree.
Pasadena, CA (PRWEB) November 5, 2008 -- Deployed American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines will get a whiff of genuine homefront Christmas celebrations this year through Operation Christmas Tree (http://operationchristmastree.com/). A charitable effort of the family-led Support Military Heroes organization, Operation Christmas Tree is planning to send live, fragrant, 2-foot Christmas trees to American military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year they sent 5,000 trees, but this year's goal is to ship 7,000.
The project began in 2006 when the daughter of James and Betty Ward of Westminster, MD was deployed to Iraq. They decided to send her a bit of home--a standard-sized Christmas tree--but were unable to solve the challenge of shipping it. Instead, they settled on sending as many 2-foot trees as possible to their daughter and others stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The recipients of the 75 trees sent were so excited that James and Betty decided to make Operation Christmas Tree a yearly project until the troops come home permanently.
Sending pine and fir trees to dry climates such as those found in much of Aghanistan and Iraq may seem a bit odd, but James reports the trees have done well. "The trees are sent in pots and most soldiers plant them outdoors after Christmas. Surprisingly, we seem to be starting a forest over there; they withstand drought conditions better than we thought. One soldier even took her tree home to Germany by carrying it in her lap on the flight out of Iraq."
This year's trees were donated by home improvement store Home Depot, and the Wards have been scrambling to raise the $30,000 required to ship all 5,000 trees to deployed American military personnel before Christmas. A package of battery-powered miniature lights (complete with batteries), and a package of miniature ornaments will be included with each tree shipped to a combat zone, allowing recipients to participate in traditional holiday decorating. A $25 donation covers the cost of shipping and decorations for each tree, which can be addressed to a specific soldier or an entire unit.
Having the beautiful sight and smell (http://operationchristmastree.com/testimonials.php) of a live fir or pine at Christmas in the desert of Iraq or the bare mountains of Afghanistan is a tremendous gift to military men and women separated from family and the traditional sights and smells of the holiday season. Soldiers' Angels supports Operation Christmas Tree and is asking for the help of patriotic Americans who can join them in giving the troops a bit of Christmas in a faraway land.
For more information about Operation Christmas tree, see www.OperationChristmasTree.com.
ABOUT SOLDIERS' ANGELS
Established in 2003, Soldiers' Angels is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) non-profit providing aid and comfort to the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, as well as veterans and military families. For more information, see www.soldiersangels.org or call 626-529-5114. Tax ID# 20-0583415
Contact Information
PATTI BADER
Soldiers' Angels
http://www.soldiersangels.org
626-529-5114
Ellie