Disaster Relief

 

Christmas Spirit Foundation Helps Prevent Midwest Flooding

As water rose and levies across the country were breached, the Christmas Spirit Foudation helped build sandbag barriers to keep the water from reaching more victims.

Lots of back-breaking work from foundation volunteers and the local National Guard unit helped keep some at risk Illinois residents dry and safe until the waters receded.

 

AN EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT

Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Christmas Tree growers prove that the Spirit of Christmas is alive and well.

Like many Christmas Tree farms in the area, Shady Pond Tree Farm, Pearl River, La., sustained significant damage from Hurricane Katrina. As the eye of the hurricane passed over the farm, situated 25 miles north of North Orleans, wind and rain combined to batter farm buildings and blow over Christmas Trees. "It was some of the most unbelievable wind damage I had ever seen," said Clarke Gernon, Sr., owner of Shady Pond Tree Farm.

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Gernon, who estimates that he has been through 30 hurricanes in his life, recognized that Katrina was different, and after making preparations on his farm, he evacuated for the first time ever to Baton Rouge. While thankful that most of his main buildings made it through the storm with minimal damage, he knew that it would be a long and grueling road to restore his trees. And time was of the essence, as he had only a matter of weeks to straighten trees in preparation for this holiday buying season. Like many other businesses in the damaged Gulf region, Shady Pond Tree Farm faced difficulties in finding employees to help.

So Gernon called on a little help from his friends - his fellow Christmas Tree growers. Cline Church of Cline Church Nursery in Fleetwood, N.C., and Harry Yates of Yates Christmas Tree Farm in Boone, N.C., were more than willing to lend a hand. Both Church and Yates have served with Gernon for a number of years on the board of directors for the National Christmas Tree Association.

Charlie Grogan, President of the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), said Christmas spirit of this kind is common in the Christmas Tree industry. "Farmers helping farmers...I'm not surprised at all," Grogan said.

Yates and Church rounded up 11 of their own workers and left at 3 a.m. on Oct. 14 to make the 14-hour drive to Pearl River, La. Over a three-day period, the crews worked to straighten the trees on Shady Pond Tree Farm's 45 acres. The work was not easy - requiring the crew to stand each tree upright, pack loose soil around the roots with sledgehammers and drive long stakes into the ground to support the trees.

"I felt like we had to do something," said Cline Church, owner of Cline Church Nursery. "Families in the New Orleans area should be able to have a traditional Christmas Tree and all the experiences and memories that come with each one. It feels good to help make that happen."

The crew actually finished a day earlier than planned due to their steady work on the farm. Gernon says it would have taken him a month to accomplish on his own what they were all able to complete in such a short time.

"Tree farmers are resilient, and we have a passion for what we do," said Gernon. "We're doing all we can to clean up our farms and get the trees ready so people can still come out and have their family tradition of picking out their tree for Christmas. With help like this, we will be open for business this holiday season."

"I know these trees well," Gernon says. "And they assure me with near absolute certainty that the spring of 2006 will be beautiful at Shady Pond as it always is - different, but still beautiful."

The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation is accepting donations to assist Christmas Tree growers affected by the devastation of this year's busy hurricane season. NCTA will match the initial $5,000 in donations, and grants will be distributed to growers in need through the Southern Christmas Tree Association. To learn more about the Foundation and its other projects, visit www.christmasspiritfoundation.org.