A local Christmas Tree Farm is doing what it can to help brighten Christmas for military families. Pleasant Ridge Christmas Tree Farm in Rantoul participates in program called “Trees For Troops”, donating trees to military bases across the country to families that might not be able to afford a real Christmas tree. Since 2022, the program has given over 16,000 trees to 84 bases in the United States. Memory Lane both donates and picks up trees from other tree farms and delivers them to the collection point in Wichita., where FedEx takes over.
The farm’s Memory Lane also created a Trees For Troops bear, an 8-inch teddy bear in uniform, that they sell at the tree farm. Proceeds from the sale of each bear goes to the Christmas Spirit Foundation to support the Trees For Troops program. The bears are always a big seller. If you would like to order a bear, call the Peckham’s at Pleasant Ridge or check out the Trees For Troops Bear facebook page.
