Trees for Troops (Image courtesy of Kenny's Christmas Trees)
A truck packed with the donated trees hit the roads on Monday to transport the evergreens to an Army base.
Giving back is an important part of the holiday season, and no one may deserve more recognition than the men and women that protect our country. The services persons serving both here at home and abroad work each day to be sure that the freedoms of our nation are preserved.
Gov. Josh Shapiro announced on Dec. 5 his participation in the Trees for Troops program. This nationwide program is one that provides free, farm-grown Christmas trees, as well as heartfelt personal greetings, to armed force members and their families. These efforts are made possible through donations, sponsorships, grants, and the hard work of volunteers.
“Thank you to the Shapiro Administration and the PA Department of Agriculture for supporting the Trees for Troops program and providing this thoughtful support to service members and their families during the holiday season,” said Brig. Gen. John Pippy, Pennsylvania’s acting adjutant general and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “A Christmas tree is more than a symbol of the holidays, it’s a way to spread cheer and invoke the holiday spirit. With thousands of Pennsylvania service members deployed throughout the world and stateside, this gesture of giving is exactly what they need to stay connected to family, tradition, and home during the holidays.”
Locally, Kenny’s Christmas Trees, located at 1121 Bethlehem Pike in Spring House, Lower Gwynedd Township, was one of four businesses across the state that got involved. The shop accepted donations through Dec. 9, then converting the funds into fresh-cut trees.
Later on Monday, Paul from Kenny’s Christmas Trees took to Facebook to not only thank donors, but show off the massive truck filled with cut, bound, and tied evergreens.
“I want to thank everybody for our Trees for Troops,” said Paul, via a social media live post. “We did awesome this year.”
While different tree growers sent their offerings to different parts of the country, those from Kenny’s Christmas Trees was headed out west.
“These trees are all heading for Missouri right now,” said Paul. “They’re going to Fort Leonard Wood military base for the Army.”
According to Paul, 12,000 residents at that base would be the recipients of the trees.
“A lot of happy faces,” he said, when the truck shows up at its destination.
To view the video announcement, click here. Kenny’s Christmas Trees offers set-up and delivery services for trees, as well assistance preparing your tree for travel. The spot offers a wide selection of Fraser and Douglas firs ranging from three to 12 feet. Kenny’s also sells wreaths (decorated or undecorated), tree stands, pine roping, and greens.
Kenny’s Christmas Trees, which has offered up its locally grown trees since 1988, is located at 1121 Bethlehem Pike in Spring House. The shop is open for business Sunday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information on Kenny’s Christmas Trees, email kennyschristmastrees@gmail.com or call 215-628-4240.
For more information on Trees for Troops, visit https://www.christmasspiritfoundation.org/trees-for-troops or monitor its social media Facebook page here.
