Charity Programs
Our charitable programs for children, families and the
environment are designed to enhance the Christmas Spirit
environment are designed to enhance the Christmas Spirit
On behalf of the crew of (U.S.S.) Bunker Hill ...thank you for the three trees. The smell of pine filled the air and Sailors stopped by to see and smell and were amazed that they were actually real.
I saw people’s face light up as they saw even the trees with nothing on them. Were so grateful for the kindness for those who made this possible. Were proud to serve you and were thinking of home every day.
Peace On Earth
The Christmas SPIRIT Awards are designed to recognize exceptional efforts to advance the Spirit of Christmas for kids, families and the environment. If you know an individual, a community group or organization that has done this, nominate them for a Christmas SPIRIT Award.
Fill out the Christmas SPIRIT Award Nomination Form (click to download) and return it to the CSF office via fax (636/449-5051) or by e-mail to Amy Mills at mills@drakeco.com.
All nominations are due to the CSF office by April 15, 2012.
There are up to five total Christmas SPIRIT Awards. Below is a description of each award:
Community Award - The Community Award is given to a community group who has displayed a Spirit of giving, as well as furthered the Spirit of Christmas.
Industry Award - The Industry Award is given to a member of the Christmas Tree industry who has displayed a Spirit of giving and has helped to advance the Christmas Spirit. Ideally, this person will have supported CSF with their time, talents or dollars.
Individual Award - The individual award is given to an individual who has displayed a Spirit of giving as well as furthered the SPIRIT of Christmas.
Military Award - The military award is dedicated to a military member, family, or group located on a military installation. The award recipient will have displayed a Spirit of giving and will also have advanced the Spirit of Christmas. An example might be an MWR contact at a base who went above and beyond to make Trees for Troops a huge success.
National Christmas SPIRIT Award - The National Christmas SPIRIT Award is given to an individual, group or company who has given their time, talents or dollars to display a Spirit of giving and advance the Christmas Spirit nationwide. The recipient may have worked to make a difference in his or her community, nation or world or substantially contributed to the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation.
2010
Community Awards
The Garden Hoes, NY
This group of 10 to 15 women in New York, who originally came together through their love of gardening, helped to spread the spirit of Christmas by creating and donating more than 2,700 handmade ornaments to the Trees for Troops program over the past two years.
Toys for Tots, Triangle, VA
Founded by Major Bill Hendricks in 1947, the United States Marine Corps has collected more than 400 million toys for more than 188 million children in need.
Military Awards
Senior Chief Mark A. Watts, Rochester, NY
Watts first enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1983, was honorably discharged in 1989, and re-enlisted in 1991 and 2001 and continues with the Navy Reserve in Rochester, New York. After receiving a tree overseas through the Trees for Troops program, he asked what he could do to get involved. Since then, he has helped transport trees to the New York pickup point and gives regular talks to school groups and other organizations.
National Christmas SPIRIT Award
Wreaths Across America, Harrington, ME
Each Christmas season, this organization coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and veterans’ cemeteries throughout the United States. This program, started in 1992 by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester, now has more than 425 participating locations and continues to carry out their mission of Remember, Honor, Teach.
Randy Weiss,
Community Relations Officer, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Santa Barbara, CA
Over the past four years, Randy has increased the bank’s involvement with Trees for Troops by doubling its commitment from 75 to 150 trees and creating its “A Noble Tree for a Noble Cause” program to engage the community, employees and military families.
2009
Community Awards
Garnet Hill Inc., Franconia, NH
This mail-order retail company provides their employees with vouchers for Christmas Trees and allows them the option of donating their tree to the Trees for Troops program.
Inverness Hotel, Englewood, CO
The hotel hosts a Trash to Trees decorating program for school-age children, designed to bring awareness to the importance of recycling during the holidays.
Individual Awards
Barbara & Bill Wilczek, Littleton, NH
This couple brings their Bernese Mountain dogs to a local Christmas Tree farm for photo ops with visitors, with all proceeds donated to the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation.
Stacey Monk, Epic Change, Satellite Beach, FL
Epic Change’s Tweetsgiving program encourages participants to express their thanks using online tools and events, while raising money to promote positive change in communities.
Industry Awards
Joanne Bond, Melba Fisher & Norma Corliss, Maine Christmas Tree Association
These volunteers have organized efforts to collect thousands of Christmas ornaments to accompany the Trees for Troops deliveries.
2008
Community Award
Bethlehem Elementary School, Bethlehem, NH
This school’s fifth grade classes help load trees for the Trees for Troops program, as well as dedicating many hours to fundraising efforts.
Individual Awards
Gene Hemphill, New Holland, New Holland, PA
Hemphill and New Holland have been avid supporters of the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, including the donation of a tractor/snowplow that was used to raise funds for the Foundation.
Mel Hartman, TLC Toys, Andover, MN
Hartman’s organization manufactures and distributes heirloom quality toys to disadvantaged children in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area.
Industry Awards
Dick Darling, Darling’s Tree Farm, Clifton Springs, NY
Darling serves as coordinator of the Trees for Troops program in the state of New York. Since his involvement, donations from New York growers have nearly tripled.
Bob White, White’s Tree Farm, Essex, VT
White served as coordinator of the Trees for Troops program in New Hampshire and Vermont, helping to gain media coverage for participants throughout the states.
Greg Smith, 7G’s Farm, Nicholson, GA
Smith served as coordinator of the Trees for Troops program in Georgia, spending time away from his own farm during the busy season to collect and load trees and attend area deliveries.
National Christmas SPIRIT Awards
Cost Plus Word Market, San Francisco, CA
The nationwide retailer created a cross-promotional program with Christmas Tree retailers for the 2008 holiday season, which included a substantial donation to the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation.
SATO Labeling Solutions America Inc., Romeoville, IL
SATO printed more than 16,000 tree tags for the 2008 Trees for Troops program and donated them to the program.
2006
National Christmas SPIRIT Award
FedEx Corp., Memphis, TN
Since the start of the program in 2005, FedEx has provided shipping and logistics services for all of the trees delivered through Trees for Troops.
Use Google's secure technology above to donate online, or you can mail a check or fax your credit card info.
Text SPIRIT
to 50555
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For $30 (plus S&H), you can purchase a commemorative pewter ornament, with proceeds benefiting the Trees for Troops program. With a $50 donation, an additional ornament will be sent to a deserving military family.
Or call 800/678-5752 and use product code “CSF”.
Purchase a Trees for Troops T-Shirt or Sweatshirt
The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation is partnering with Greater than Goods to sell t-shirts and sweatshirts benefitting the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation's Trees for Troops program.
Greater than Goods works with non-profits to create cause-related t-shirts and apparel and donates a portion of the proceeds to the cause. For every Trees for Troops item you purchase from Greater than Goods, $5 will be donated to CSF for the Trees for Troops program.
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