If you need help decking the halls this holiday season, stop by the Wheatland Salem Church at the corner of 95th Street and Book Road, where Boys Troop 889 and Girls Troop 1776 are hard at work with their annual Christmas tree sales.
“We are at our 35th approximately annual Christmas tree sales to support our scouting program. We’ve been doing this sales, like I said, for 35 years. The proceeds help fund the troops for the coming year as well as helps fund the scouts on some incredible journeys,” said Steve Ouellette, committee chairman of Scouts BSA 1776 and 889.
What’s for sale?
The group has a selection of holiday wreaths along with the roughly 800 trees it’s brought in this year to make area homes more merry.
“We are selling different types of trees, balsam and fraser trees, all different sizes and all the funds go to our troop because this is the only fundraiser that we do for the year for our troops in total,” said Troop 889 member, Logan Mead.
Christmas tree sale proceeds help further the scouting experience
In previous years the proceeds have helped the scouts take trips to Mount Kilimanjaro, canoe the New River, and hike through Yosemite National Park.
“We spend the money on new tenting equipment and new cooking equipment. And also we divvy up for each scout and that’s their money to spend on going on like camping trips and how we get the places to do things,” said Troop 1776 member, Cecelia Ludwig.
Interacting with the community
Not only does the sale help the scouts earn funds, but it also gives them a chance to interact with members of the community – some of whom have become familiar faces.
“It’s honestly super cool to see all the families. It’s also really cool to see the recurring families that keep coming every year,” said Troop 889 member Miguel Garcia.
The troops will continue to sell trees every Monday to Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. until December 15 or until supplies run out.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!
