Free Christmas Trees Bring Holiday Cheer to Military Families
As part of an ongoing commitment to support service members and their loved ones, MCCS Lejeune-New River continues its tradition of spreading holiday cheer by partnering with Trees for Troops to provide over 900 free Christmas trees to military families. This meaningful program, a collaborative effort between MCCS Lejeune-New River, the Christmas Spirit Foundation, and FedEx, ensures that the spirit of gratitude extends far beyond the holiday season.
"This program is a way of embracing military families during a time that can often feel challenging," said Sarah Wiltgen, Assistant Chief of Staff at MCCS, MCIEAST. "We want every service member to know that we recognize their sacrifices and that MCCS stands ready to support them."
Marking a significant milestone, Trees for Troops celebrates 20 years of service this year. Since its inception in 2005, the program has brought holiday cheer to military families across more than 80 installations worldwide. Tree farms nationwide have been instrumental in making this possible by donating trees and encouraging their communities to participate. Each tree also carries a handwritten message from students expressing gratitude for service members.
PFC Charles Duncan, with 10th Marines, was a first-time volunteer at the event. "We're here to help hand out trees to the Marines and families at Camp Lejeune. We hope to make things a little easier as the Christmas season gets closer and trees get more expensive," Duncan said. "It means a lot to be able to help. I come from an area in Florida where there's not a lot of opportunity to help so it's good to be able to give back to my fellow marines."
To learn about other upcoming events, visit https://lejeunenewriver.usmc-mccs.org/calendar-of-events or subscribe to our weekly email newsletter at https://lejeunenewriver.usmc-mccs.org/about/newsletter-sign-up.
This event is sponsored by Trees for Troops, the Christmas Spirit Foundation and FedEx. No federal or DoD endorsement implied.