Trees for Troops brings holiday cheer to Fort Drum Soldiers

For Spc. Casey Edmonson, this Christmas will be nothing short of a miracle. He and his wife are expecting their first child, a daughter, any day.

Enjoying their first holiday as a Family of three was made just a little bit more special, thanks to a few local tree farmers.

Edmonson was one of 700 Fort Drum Soldiers to receive a free Christmas tree Thursday, courtesy of the Trees for Troops program.

"For me, this is a very joyous time of year," said Edmonson, who is assigned to 10th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team. "This is going to be our first Christmas with our first child. I'm really looking forward to it."

Edmonson said he has many fond memories of decorating a real tree when he was growing up in Minnesota. However, decorating the tree this year also will be bittersweet.

"Decorating the tree is something my mother and I did (together)," he said. "She died about seven years ago, so this is just another way to remember her.

"Thank you to everybody who took part in this (program)," he added. "It's a big honor, and it's a real big help."

Dick and Mary Ellen Darling, owners of Darling's Tree Farm in Clifton Springs, are co-chairmen of the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation's Trees for Troops program in New York. Farmers who are members of the foundation donate trees to be distributed to military members. The national foundation will present roughly 18,000 trees to service members in 70 military installations across the country, Dick Darling said.

"This is our 10th year with Trees for Troops and the eighth year we've come to Fort Drum," he explained. "We are shipping about 1,250 trees across New York state this year, including Fort Drum, West Point and some reserve units -- all branches of the service."

Brig. Gen. Mark O'Neil, 10th Mountain Division (LI) deputy commanding general - operations, was on hand at the kick-off event last week to help unload trees. Before handing out trees, O'Neil explained the holiday season is not a time for taking, but a time for giving.

"The Darlings represent the larger team behind the scene -- a great group of dedicated men and women," he said. "There are a lot of trucks out there … moving trees across the country to various installations."

O'Neil also provided well wishes from Maj. Gen. Stephen J. Town-send, Fort Drum and 10th Mountain Division (LI) commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Lewis, division senior enlisted adviser.

"Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and stay safe," he said. "I know we ask a lot, and we're going to keep asking a lot.

"The reality is we live in a time of uncertainty. We still have some buddies who are still deployed in harm's way. Keep thinking of them," O'Neil continued.