Friday, December 19, 2014
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Neighbors | Submitted.Volunteers cut down 10 trees that were sent overseas to military members as part of Operation Evergreen on Nov. 10 at Pioneer Trails Tree Farm.
By TIM CLEVELAND
On Nov. 10, the annual cutting of Christmas trees to be sent to troops overseas – Operation Evergreen – was hosted by Pioneer Trails Tree Farm, located at 4222 Center Road.
The program was started by the Ohio Christmas Tree Association in 1995, with ornaments being added to the trees the following year. Pioneer Trails Tree Farm first participated in the program in 1996 with two trees and it has donated as many as 15 trees.
For this year’s event, Pioneer Trails Tree Farm donated 10 trees that will be sent to a military base in Kuwait before being distributed to military bases and Navy ships. Overall, 100 trees will be sent from approximately 30 growers in Ohio. Locally, Stepuk Tree Farm in Canfield supplied six trees, D’Apolito Tree Farm in Lisbon suppiled four and Storeyland Tree Farm in Burghill supplied three trees.
At Pioneer Trails Tree Farm, a Christian home school cooperative from East Liverpool, SELAH (Students Educated Lovingly at Home) and local veterans cut down the 10 Canaan Fir Christmas trees. Pioneer received 2,000 ornaments from schools and a Girl Scout Troop that will also be sent to the troops.
On Nov. 13, the trees were shipped to Reynoldsburg to be inspected by the Ohio Department of Agriculture before being shipped overseas. The trees should have been received at approximately Thanksgiving.
“We enjoy sharing our trees with the military,” said Mary Jan Perdulla of Pioneer Trails Tree Farm. “I am privileged to provide our military with a touch of home for the holidays. It has become a tradition for us to honor our military locally and overseas. Two veterans helped us cut the trees, Dave Grimm and Ed Regilsky. Both are members of the Lowellville Rod and Gun Club, which provided $320 for the shipping of the trees.
The cost to ship the trees and ornaments was $13,300. The Ohio Christmas Tree Association raised more than $14,000 from private donations from individuals, schools, associations and businesses. Perdulla said many local groups and businesses in Mahoning County helped out with generous donations. She said the extra money donated will be used next year.
Perdulla said many local schools helped to make the ornaments and write letters, including from Poland, Struthers, Leonard-Kirtz and Girl Scout Troop 80635 in Struthers.