By Heather Sawaski
BROKAW (WAOW) -- The holiday season is a time most of us spend family. But for those in military, that's not always possible. That's why area Christmas tree growers are banding together to make sure military families around the world have that Christmas glow.
Jim and Marianne Martin own and operate Highland Trees, an 80 acre Christmas tree farm in Brokaw. But besides the holiday season, their crew is also gearing up for a special project. It's called Trees For Troops.
"They gather the trees up," explained Jim Martin. "and send them to the various bases all over the United States and some over seas, including Afghanistan and Iraq."
The couple will send about 20 trees to military families, this year, at the Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.
The national Christmas SPIRIT Foundation started the project 4 years ago in an effort to bring a little holiday spirit to military families near and far. 16,000 will be donated from farms across the country and 6,000 of those will come from right here in Wisconsin.
"You can't keep from it now," Jim said. "As we do it, we get more excited all the time."
Each tree gets tagged a card, telling where it came from. Marianne says the couple sometimes gets Christmas cards and notes from families who've received their trees. And some of them bring her to tears.
"This has been a very difficult journey," Marianne read from on note. "But it is very comforting to know our fellow Americans do care for us. That is the most beautiful Christmas card I have ever received," she said.
All the trees will be bundled and shipped later this month.
Shipping the trees can get expensive, so the couple is trying to raise money. For anyone who brings in an old artificial tree, Jim and Marianne will donate $5 towards the Trees For Troops program.
