CAPE MAY, N.J. – Coast Guardsmen received a delivery of 50 donated Christmas trees from the Trees for Troops program at Training Center Cape May, Thursday.
The trees were distributed to junior-ranking service members on the base including crewmembers of the tenant commands stationed aboard the TRACEN.
“This type of program is very special to the young men and women of our service who are away from home during the holiday season and who are conducting the Coast Guard’s front-line missions,” said Capt. Owen Gibbons, commanding officer Coast Guard Training Center Cape May. “It’s a thoughtful, and meaningful, program that represents the level of support that organizations such as the Christmas SPIRIT foundation and FedEx provide to military members for their sacrifices to the nation.”
Now in its twelfth year, Trees for Troops plans to deliver thousands of Christmas trees to military bases in the U.S. and overseas. The Trees for Troops is a program of the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, working together with FedEx, and members of the National Christmas Tree Association and many state and local Christmas tree associations.
“Being involved with Trees for Troops is truly a gift that gives back,” said Nigel Manley, Christmas SPIRIT Foundation chairman, in a release dated from 2013. “It’s rewarding and meaningful to everyone involved, because it gives us the opportunity to say thank you to our troops, and helps ensure military families have the kind of joyful, traditional Christmas memories that we would wish for America’s heroes.”
Petty Officer 3rd Class Anita Stahley helps stack trees during the annual Trees for Troops event held onboard the Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Fifty trees were delivered to the training center and given to members who wanted one. The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and FedEx run the Trees for Troops program, which provides Christmas trees to service members in both the U.S. and overseas. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Chief Warrant Officer John Edwards) Petty Officer 2nd Class James McLaughlin, a member aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Ibis home ported in Cape May, N.J., chooses a tree during the Trees for Troops event held at the Coast Guard Training Center, her, Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Trees for Troops provides donated Christmas trees to military members in all services in both the U.S. and overseas. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Chief Warrant Officer John Edwards)