FORT LIBERTY, N.C. – Family of the Year winner, 1st Lt. Nasser Hassoun’s family, received the 300,000th Christmas tree from the Trees for Troops program at Smith Lake Recreation Area on December 1st.
“It's an honor to represent Fort Liberty and the thousands of paratroopers and service members that represent our great nation,” said 1st Lt. Hassoun. “Thank you so much, and happy holidays, and have a happy new year.”
The Trees for Troops program donated free Christmas trees to hundreds of Fort Liberty Soldiers who were ranks of Staff Sergeants or lower, thanks to donations of trees from American growers. The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation Board of Trustees acknowledges that the success of the Trees for Troops program depends on many individuals involved as the program continues to grow. They help the program by finding trees to donate, organizing volunteer activities to load and unload trees, raising money, and spreading awareness.
“This is an annual event that we host every year, and this year, we have 585 donated trees,” said James Day, Fort Liberty Chief of Outdoor Recreation. “It brings holiday cheer to the families and lets them know that we care and support them through the holiday season.”
Day added that 30 Soldiers from Fort Liberty’s Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers volunteered to help tie up the donated trees on top of vehicles to take home to their families.
FedEx Freight has delivered the 300,000th tree. The milestone tree and almost 16,000 additional trees were given to families at more than 90 military installations across the United States this December.
"Every year, the FedEx Freight team puts in a tireless effort to support Trees for Troops and the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation. This delivery directly reflects our dedication to both causes," said Lance Moll, President and CEO of FedEx Freight. "Through our industry-leading transportation network, we are honored to give back to local communities and military families whose values are closely tied to the core mission of our company."
The Trees for Troops program was founded in 2005 and delivered 4,200 trees, now delivering over 16,000 trees annually. The tree tags state supporting messages that other family members sign. Behind each tree, people from our nation and community express their gratitude and love to every service member and their families through the holiday season.
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