Trees for Troops sends some Christmas cheer overseas

POLAND — The owners of Pioneer Trails Tree Farm are spreading their holiday cheer to military personnel serving overseas.

Frank and Mary Jan Perdulla, who own the Center Road farm; their son, Charles; and local veterans Stan Farley, Ed Rigelsky and Dave Grimm, all of Poland, and Mark Hill of Boardman; selected about 12 Canaan fir trees Friday morning.

“We want to give back to support” the troops, Mary Jan said.

They cut them down, shook out the loose pieces and baled them for shipping, the scent of evergreens wafting about.

Trees from Pioneer Trails will be among the roughly 200 donated by Ohio Christmas tree growers for Operation Evergreen.

The trees will go to Reynoldsburg, near Columbus, for inspection by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. FedEx, corporate sponsor, will provide shipping to the Southwest Theater of Operations where they will be distributed to military personnel serving there. The operations area includes Kuwait, Afghanistan, Qatar and Iraq.

Operation Evergreen started in 1995 during the war in Bosnia, Frank said.

Pioneer Trails Tree Farm began participating in 1997.

Size is important in picking trees to ship, Frank said. A tree can’t be taller than six feet. They pick Canaan firs because their narrow shape facilitates baling for shipment.

“They hold on to their needles,” Mary Jan said.

She expects the trees to be delivered to the troops about Thanksgiving.

Read more in Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com