Trees for Troops

Russ Whited, owner of Russ Whited Fresh Christmas Trees, watches on as a truck is unloaded
with the first shipment of Christmas trees. Renato Medina, 39, unloads from the truck while Lazaro
Mendez, 21, takes the trees to holding area where they are watered and then sold.

South Fort Myers residents have a new opportunity to support troops in the United States and abroad during the holidays.
Russ Whited Fresh Christmas Trees is hosting its third annual “Trees for Troops” event today.

“It’s giving back to the community and helping take care of families that are sacrificing for our country,” said Russ Whited, the event organizer who hopes to sell 200 trees for the cause. “

The trees, which can be purchased for $30, will be put onto a truck and FedEx has agreed to ship them to 36 bases in the United States and overseas.

“I know what it means at Christmas to have family ties,” said Whited who is a veteran and got involved in the program to show his support. “This gives you that holiday feeling and they know that they aren’t forgotten.”

Whited hopes to be able to ship 200 trees to the troops but if the goal isn’t met, he said, he will donate them anyway.

“We will have a semi-trailer and when people purchase the tree, they can attach a message tag so the soldiers families can see it,” Whited said. “I personally have shipped an artificial tree to Baghdad with ornaments and lights.”

Helping soldiers and their families is important to Whited who said the holidays can be a lonely time.

“A normally $59 tree can be purchased for $30 and with FedEx shipping it ... it makes it easier for us,” said Whited adding that a plane load of 300 trees can cost $27,000 to ship.

The trees that are purchased in south Fort Myers will be shipped to a base in Tampa.

“It’s lonely to be at war and not get Christmas but it helps to know that people are taking care of your family,” he said.

Trees for Troops is a national program with retailers from around the country donating to the cause.

“In 2005 they delivered 4,300 trees to five bases. In 2006 they delivered 11,845 trees to 25 bases,” said Jessica Barton, a spokesperson of Spiro & Associates who is helping get the word out about the event.