With Thanksgiving becoming another flipped page on a calendar, thoughts have shifted to the upcoming Christmas season.
For 18,000 families who share their home with a loved one in uniform, Christmas will be a little bit fresher and festive thanks to Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and FedEx’s annual Trees for Troops program.
Camp Lejeune will get their shipment of trees for distribution beginning 7:30 a.m. Friday in the main parking lot of Sand Dollar Shores Pavilion at Onslow Beach.
Trees are first come, first serve and an ID cardholder must be present to receive a tree.
Trees will not be reserved.
Rope will be provided to secure trees to vehicles, but blankets or tarps are recommended to prevent possible damage to vehicle during transport.
This year makes 12 years since the program began delivering fresh Christmas trees to service members and families across the country.
Since beginning more than 176,000 trees have been distributed to more than 65 military installations, with hopes of driving that number to 194,000 with this year’s donations.
“This is great example of how our country cares for its Marines and sailors who sacrifice so much throughout the year,” Commander of Installations East- Base Camp Lejeune Brig. Gen. Thomas Weidley said. “The hundreds of Christmas tree growers and individuals who donated are making this Christmas season incredibly special for some very deserving service members and their families.”
This year’s donation tops out at more than 18,000 trees, with the trees’ journeys to new homes beginning Nov. 29.
All trees are expected to be distributed by Dec. 9.
The trees are donated from local farms across the country.
Christmas SPIRIT Foundation has been presented the Best in America seal of excellence by Independent Charities of America.
FedEx joined the effort to ensure service members have a bright Christmas in 2005.
FedEx has logged more than 573,000 ground miles for the Trees for Troops program, the Trees for Troops website stated.
To help, monetary donations are welcome as well as donations of trees bought from tree retail locations in the area. The purchased trees will be added to the schedule deliveries.
To discover other locations where Trees for Troops is operating outside of military bases, please click here.
- Camp Pendleton, CA
- Miramar, CA
- 29 Palms, CA
- Cherry Point, NC
- Camp Lejeune, NC
- Other bases, please check with your local MCCS.
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