BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. - Nearly 20 Soldiers and Airmen of the New York National Guard turned out to volunteer their support of Trees for Troops at Ellms Christmas Tree Farm in Ballston Spa, New York, on Dec. 3. The Guard members helped load Christmas trees donated from area tree farms as part of a nationwide effort to deliver Christmas trees to troops and military families around the world.
"This year, from here, there's probably going to be over 160 trees from 16 farms and nurseries that are local here," said owner and coordinator Chip Ellms.
"We've now delivered more than 135,000 trees to families and service members all around the country," Ellms said of the nationwide program.
This marks the 10th year of New York National Guard members volunteering their time to assist in the loading of trees destined for fellow service members and their families around the country and around the world. This year's collection from Ballston Spa is destined for Fort Bragg military families, Ellms said.
"You know, after 10 years, I would have thought that the support for this program would have tapered off, but we've seen this continue to grow year after year," Ellms said. "The support we've had from area growers and the community just gets bigger each year."
The National Guard Soldier volunteers came from Latham's 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade Headquarters and Army Aviation Support Facility. Their turnout follows the unit's deployment to Kuwait during the Christmas season of 2013. The Soldiers offered their volunteer time to show appreciation to the program and assist other military forces deployed this year.
"I've seen Soldiers come home and they're elated," said Sgt. 1st Class Greg Martin, who returned from deployment with the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade this fall. "They're happy that somebody cared for their family at Christmas time just by giving them a simple tree."
The Soldiers were joined by Airmen of the 109th Airlift Wing based in Scotia, N.Y., to honor their fellow Airmen deployed to Antarctica each holiday season at the South Pole supporting the National Science Foundation and Operation Deep Freeze.
"It's great knowing that you have that support back home, just lets you know that people have your six," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Crisalli from the 109th Airlift Wing.
The Trees for Troops program was launched in 2005, and with the help of FedEx Corp., delivered more than 4,300 Christmas trees to five U.S. military bases in its initial year, as well as an overseas shipment to the Middle East that year.
Since 2005, Trees for Troops has delivered more than 139,000 real Christmas trees to thankful troops and military families. Each year, thousands of trees are donated by Christmas tree growers and consumers. FedEx and its team members generously provide shipping to bases in the U.S. and overseas, through FedEx Express air operations and the FedEx Freight trucking network.
For the past several years the effort has helped to deliver, on average, 17,000 real Christmas trees each year to 60+ military bases throughout the U.S. and overseas.
"It's a nice reminder," said Sgt. 1st Class David Vetter from the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade Headquarters Company. "One, that people care to spend the time to even do that. And to have that bit of home, to kind of bring it all back together, especially with your friends that are over there at least you can kind of cling together and celebrate together."
"If you can't be home for the holidays, you're in our hearts," said Vetter.