FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
Bleak December skies and light rain did little to quell the holiday spirit at Fort Eustis, as Service members and their families lined up and loaded up a free Christmas tree via the "Trees for Troops" giveaway program at the post Dec. 5.
The program, sponsored by the Christmas Spirit Foundation and FedEx, donated Christmas trees to military personnel and their dependents from the Hampton Roads area.
Customers from two Christmas tree farms, Wyckoff's in Belvidere, N.J., and Yenser's in Lehighton, Pa., collectively donated more than 500 trees, which were shipped to Fort Eustis free of charge by FedEx. Each tree featured a tag with a handwritten message from its donor.
Once the Service member or family members selected a tree from beneath the picnic pavilion adjacent to the U.S. Army Reserve Center, Soldiers from the 1-222nd Aviation Regiment and volunteers from the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program carried and secured the tree to their vehicles.
"This is our sixth year participating in the program, and it's been a big success. The trees find homes quickly," said Michael Farist, the 733rd Mission Support Group Operations Branch logistics supervisor.
"We especially looked out for spouses of deployed troops and wounded warriors, giving them priority in getting a tree. We want to ensure we take care of our people and give them a great holiday."
Jessica Kurt, whose husband serves at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown's Cheatham Annex, said the program was an "awesome way to reach out to the military."
"We've had artificial trees in the past, but I heard about this giveaway and decided it was time to go real," she said. "It's a great program, and we really appreciate it."
The joy was not exclusive to the tree recipients. Volunteers laughed and smiled alongside customers, genuinely enjoying the festive atmosphere.
"I really like being able to help other Soldiers and their families to have a good holiday any way that I can," said U.S. Army Pvt. Tyler Goodson, a student at the 1-222nd Avn. Rgt. "The whole event is about the spirit of giving for Christmas. It's a lot of fun, and it makes me feel like I've done good."