National Guard Volunteers, Veterans Assist Loadout of Trees for Troops

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FedEx driver Don Pelletier lifts a donated Christmas Tree onto his truck during the loading of holiday trees Nov. 30, 2015 for "Trees for Troops." The event this year will be Tuesday, Nov. 29.

BALLSTON SPA, NY (11/29/2016)(readMedia)-- Volunteers from the New York Army and Air National Guard join with area veterans at Ellms Tree Farm on Tuesday, November 29 to help load about 150 Christmas trees being donated and sent to military bases around the country to support troops and military families this holiday season.

This marks the 12th year of military members volunteering their time to assist in the loading of trees destined for fellow service members and their families around the country and around the world.

WHO: Soldiers and Airmen from the New York National Guard volunteer their time from work to assist the loadout of holiday trees at Ellms Tree Farm for Trees for Troops.

WHAT: Loading of about 150 Christmas Trees on Fed Ex trucks for the "Trees for Troops" Program

WHEN: 9 a.m. Tuesday, November 29.

WHERE: Ellms Family Tree Farm, 468 Charlton Road, Ballston Spa, N.Y., 12020

Coverage Opportunity:

Video and images of the volunteers loading trees into the FedEx truck. There will be opportunities to speak with Sally and Chip Ellms, local veterans and National Guard volunteers.

Additional Information:

This year marks the 12th season that Trees for Troops will be loaded at Ellms Tree Farm. Pickup begins nationwide on November 29th with delivery of trees to military installations by December 9.

The Trees for Troops program was launched in 2005, and with the help of FedEx Corp., delivered more than 4,300 Christmas Trees to five U.S. military bases in its initial year, as well as an overseas shipment to the Middle East that year. More information is also available at www.TreesforTroops.org.

Volunteers from the National Guard have supported the loading of trees to mark their individual support of the program for fellow Soldiers and Airmen serving overseas.

Members of the Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing in Scotia are deployed over the holidays every year in support of Operation Deep Freeze, the National Science Foundation support to research in Antarctica. This holiday season, some 600 Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard are also deployed to either Afghanistan, Kuwait or Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Since 2005, Trees for Troops has delivered more than 176,000 Real Christmas Trees to thankful troops and military families. Each year, thousands of trees are donated by Christmas Tree growers and consumers. FedEx and its team members generously provide shipping to bases in the U.S. and overseas, through FedEx Express air operations and the FedEx Freight trucking network.

More than 18,000 trees are expected for delivery this year, with a majority going to troops and families at more than 65 bases across the United States and in 17 nations worldwide.

For more information about the program, contact Sally Ellms at 518-339-6333 or salgal7870@aol.com.