ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— Coast Guard members from Sector St. Petersburg received donated Christmas trees Wednesday from the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation's Trees for Troops program.
The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation in partnership with FedEx provided the local Coast Guardsmen and their families with 50 trees for the holiday season.
"Our shipmates are often deployed or away from their families conducting front-line Coast Guard missions during the holidays," said Capt. Holly Najarian, commander of Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. "The support of organizations like the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation bolsters the spirit and morale of our members and goes a long way in making their holiday a little brighter. Their support is very much appreciated."
According to the Christmas Spirit Foundation's website, since 2005, they have provided more than 176,000 Christmas trees to troops and military families in the U.S. and overseas.
"Being involved with Trees for Troops is truly a gift that gives back," said Richard Darling, chair of the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and a Christmas tree grower from Clifton Springs, New York. "It's rewarding for 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.”