The 2023 delivery of Christmas trees by FedEx to MacDill Air Force Base.

Each year, MacDill Air Force Base (AFB) coordinates with the Trees for Troops program to give away hundreds of free Christmas trees to military members prior to the Christmas holiday. Trees for Troops is a nonprofit organization that coordinates, collects and distributes Christmas tree donations for military bases across the nation. Trees for Troops has given out live Christmas trees for the last 20 years to show appreciation to military members and their families for their service.

The Christmas Spirit Foundation, the parent organization of Trees for Troops, stated, “Our dedicated military members can sometimes be separated from families at annual holidays while deployed, given the average deployment period of six to 12 months. … Providing these deserving individuals, or their loved ones waiting at home, with the comfort of a Christmas tree is a small but powerful act during the holiday season.”

Trees for Troops collects Christmas tree donations from over 300 different farms, across 26 states. Typically, about 15,000 trees are donated each year and distributed by FedEx to 93 U.S. military bases (across each branch of the military). The pickup and delivery of these trees occurs within a 10-day period. Since 2005, a total of 309,644 live Christmas trees have been delivered and donated to military families.

Rick Dungey, executive director of Trees for Troops, mentioned, “Individuals who donate a tree can also write a personal message on a 4×6 tag. I feel that these personal messages add a special meaning for each military member and their families.”

In 2023, MacDill volunteers were able to hand out 450 Christmas trees to military members and their families.

Last year, 450 trees were donated from MacDill AFB to military families in the Tampa Bay area. The trees were delivered to the Air Force base and distributed by military members and volunteers. MacDill will host the Trees for Troops event on base on Friday, December 6, in conjunction with its MacWonderland Winter Festival. The MacWonderland Winter Festival includes winter festivities like Santa’s arrival, the Tinker Youth Choir and the Christmas tree lighting. The Winter Festival event, to also be held on base on December 6, will be at 5:30 p.m.

More information about MacDill’s Trees for Troops event can be found on its website at www.macdillfss.com, or visit its Facebook page at ‘MacDill Air Force Base.’ For more information or to donate to the organization that coordinates, collects and distributes the trees go to www.christmasspiritfoundation.org/trees-for-troops.

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Ashley Abene
Ashley Abene
Ashley Abene has written for the Osprey Observer since 2023. She has a master’s degree in writing and literature and a bachelor’s degree in professional writing from the University of South Florida. She has taught college-level writing and literature at USF and Southeastern University for over nine years. She’s a blogger at Peace Filled Family and enjoys writing children’s books. She’s also a mom to three kids, and her husband has been serving in the military for over 20 years.