Aktion Club of Union County
  Marysville, Ohio

Advisor:  Hope Plue
    937/645-6783
    Union County Board of Developmental Disabilities

Kiwanis Advisors:  
   Dr Marilyn A Coleman ~ 740.943.1371
   Laura Briggs ~ 937.645.2523

Sponsoring Agency: Union County Board of MR/DD
Sponsoring Kiwanis Club: Marysville Kiwanis

Project Evergreen
    The troops in Iraq , Kuwait and Afghanistan will get Christmas Spirit from Ohio this week!  The Ohio Christmas Tree Association (OCTA) members started Project Evergreen in 1995-96. 
    It started with about 30 trees. This year they sent 325 trees to our troops overseas. Originally only trees were sent. Then there was a suggestion that perhaps decorations from schools would be a good addition. 
    This year OCTA members targeted units in the Kuwait , Afghanistan , and Iraq . The project is culminated during the week of Veteran’s Day when dozens of people get together to pack the trees and ornaments for the soldiers. This year Christmas tree growers and helpers converged on the Ohio Department Of Agriculture parking lot on Wednesday, November 12 to prepare 325 Christmas trees. Only two states, Ohio and Indiana , send Christmas trees to troops outside of the US . 
    Before the first tree is cut, Project Evergreen is active. Military commanders are notified that Christmas trees are available and orders are taken. Elementary School children, Garden Club members and Service organizations like Kiwanis and Aktion Club were busy making ornaments and garland to send with the trees. OCTA members trucked the trees and decorations that had been delivered to them from around the state to the parking lot at the Ohio Department of Agriculture. 
    Each tree was inspected by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and tagged with “Trees for Troops”. A Federal Express truck was awaiting its cargo. OCTA’s Project Evergreen is now a part of the National Christmas Tree Association’s Trees for Troops program which is jointly sponsored by FedEx and the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation. 
    Trees for Troops started in 2003. Federal Express donates the shipping for not only the Ohio Christmas trees but for about 16,000 trees, which are collected from various states and shipped to military bases and military families within the US. The 7' boxes are donated by Akers Packaging in Middleton. 
    There were 56 Christmas tree farms in Ohio that provided trees. The following Christmas tree farms in central Ohio contributed: From the Alexandria - Hickory Ridge Tree Farm and Messerall Christmas Trees; Baltimore - Timberpeg Tree Farm; Blacklick - Bogue Tree Farms; Columbus - Sugargrove Tree Farm; Delaware - Cackler Family Farms; Granville - Homestead Farm, M&M Tree Farm, and Timbuk Farms Inc; Lancaster - Becks Tree Farm and Saums Family Farms; Newark - Walsh Christmas Tree Farm; South Solon - Waters Christmas Tree Farms; St Louisville - Pounds Nursery Inc. and Thornville - Heartland Orchard. 
    This is a wonderful way to share the spirit of Christmas with the men and women who defend our country.
    After inspection, each tree is wrapped to maintain quality and facilitate shipping. The trees are slipped into a 7' box. This year, three school districts had students at the ready to box and add decorations to each tree box. Students from Granville Middle School in Licking County , Spencerville Local School District in Allen County and Big Walnut in Delaware County were busy for several hours. The mountain of ornaments and garland filled the maintenance garage before the trees arrived. The mounds of trees filled our senses with the familiar aroma of Christmas. 
    Several large tables were put near the tree-wrapping machine to make a production line to fill the boxes. The ornaments were sorted into bags of dozens so that each tree was given at least 4 dozen ornaments, approximately 40' of garland, and many cards that students and Ohio Residents wrote to the troops. 
    Federal Express personnel were at the ready to pack the semi truck with the precious cargo. When the box arrives at its destination, the troops will have everything to make a Christmas tree just like home. 
    Each group of people, who donated decorations, wrote cards with the donation and included some contact information so that the troops would know where the ornaments came from. 
    There are special “opportunities” when sending Christmas trees to troops. There are not pieces of wood lying around that you can make a Christmas tree stand with. Wood is scare in the desert. So each box needs a tree stand or a bucket that can be filled with sand to keep the tree upright once it arrives. 
    The OCTA purchases tree stands and buckets as needed. So monetary donations are accepted as well as decorations. The Ohio Christmas trees which were growing over the weekend will be in place before Thanksgiving so that the troops will have a piece of home when they are far away.
    Those receiving the trees contact many of the people who donate decorations and letters for the troops. There are so many wonderful comments that the OCTA asks everyone to share the responses. 
    Troops who are at outposts where they are not able to have trees are sent the cards and pictures of the trees so that they can enjoy the spirit of Christmas even on the front line. 
    One of the most memorable notes came from a young soldier who was one of 13 children from a Catholic family in California . He had never been away from his family at Christmas. Here he was in a Muslim country at Christmas. He was so touched by the notes that he received and wrote a thank you note.
    If your service organization or school wants to have a worthwhile project, this would be a good one. If you are interested in providing decorations next year, contact Amy Galehouse at Galehouse Tree Farms, galehousetreefarms@bright.net, 330-658-2480 work or 330-607-4487 cell
    The Plain City Area Kiwanis worked with several organizations to provide enough decorations for approximately 15 trees. Students from Plain City Elementary, ladies from Richwood Garden Club, Aktion Club of Union County members and the Plain City and Marysville Kiwanis members themselves made decorations to include. 
    Plain City Area Kiwanis members sorted the decorations so that each 2 dozen bag of ornaments included some from each of the above groups. Each group’s ornaments included a greeting and contact information.