Cazenovia — Cazenovia-area businesses, organizations and individuals this week helped a national foundation gather and send more than 100 Christmas trees to the families of military service members throughout the United States. Trees for Troops, a nationwide program of the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation in conjunction with FedEx Corp., made a stop at Critz Farms in Cazenovia to collect trees donated by Christmas tree growers throughout Central New York.

“This is a great way to show appreciation for all the sacrifices service families make for you. It’s an easy way to say thank you and brighten people’s holiday,” said Juanita Critz, owner, with her husband Matt, of Critz Farms on Rippleton Road. “It just makes a nice difference for them.”

With Trees for Troops, volunteers collect, prepare and load hundreds of donated trees onto FedEx Freight trucks to be delivered to U.S. troops and military families at more than 65 military bases in the U.S. and overseas. Since 2005, more than 157,000 free, farm-grown Christmas trees have been provided through the program, with 18,000 trees expected to be delivered this year, according to the organization’s website, treesfortroops.org.

In Cazenovia on Tuesday, Dec. 1, one dozen volunteers worked in the rain to load 110 trees from seven local tree growers onto the FedEx truck. Volunteers included the Critzes; Ed and Paulie Drexler, owners of Springside Farm in Fabius; the owners (Jon and Amanda Kogut) and employees of Spruce Ridge Landscape and Design of Cazenovia; and five members of Cazenovia American Legion Post 88.

“We’re happy to support the families of the troops that support our country,” said Cazenovia American Legion Post 88 Commander Dick Benner, who participated with other troop members in loading trees at Critz Farms last year as well.

The Critzes, who grow and sell Christmas trees on their farm, have been donating their own trees to Trees for Troops for years, during which the nearest collection point was in Jordan. Last year, Critz Farms became a collection point for the program and helped recruit other local growers to participate, Critz said. “Before someone contacted us, we were unaware [of the program],” she said. “This allows us to reach out to others.”

continued — Ed and Paulie Drexler, owners of Springside Farm, have been participating in the Trees for Troops program for 10 years, during which they also brought their trees up to Jordan, they said.

“It’s such a small thing to do; a lot of people don’t realize what families go through when they are deployed,” Paulie said. “A lot of our friends have kids in the military and we give a military discount at our farm.”

“This is just a good cause,” said Ed.

The local tree growers and donors whose trees were collected from the Critz Farms collection location included: Critz Farms, Moore Tree Farm in Groton, Muncey Hill Tree Farm in Truxton, Chuck Hafner Farms in Kirkville, Page’s Christmas Trees in Manlius, Chalker Creek Tree Farm in Chenango Forks and Springside Farm.

The trees from the Central New York area that were loaded in Cazenovia will be shipped to Fort Gordon in Augusta, Ga.

To learn more, visit TreesForTroops.org or email [email protected].