Rotary Club of Portsmouth Christmas Tree Sale 2019
Merry Christmas Tree Sales!
It is a wrap! Another successful year of Rotarians selling trees.
Christmas trees remain a central part of Christmas celebrations around the world. Families gather near them to exchange gifts. Cities put them in squares and town halls. In Portsmouth, very often that special tree comes courtesy of Rotarians.
For more than 40-years, Portsmouth Rotarians have been selling Christmas trees. The annual effort has become an integral part of local holiday tradition. Generations of moms, dads, kids and pets have visited and shopped the lot, looking for that elusive perfect tree. Many folks pose for photos.
But selling trees is not just another fundraiser for our club. It is an event. Those smiling Rotarians greeting people are also living their own individual traditions. Year after year, in some cases decade after decade, Rotarians throw themselves into the work. Many bring spouses, children, and friends to assist. One member’s introduction to Rotary was joining her dad for his tree shifts. He would bring her and her little brother to sing Christmas carols.
Not surprisingly, camaraderie is fostered here and the tree lot becomes a place where lifelong bonds are created. There are multiple shifts to fill; unloading from the massive delivery truck; untying and schlepping trees; restocking; tieing trees to cars; shoveling; cutting trees; sweeping; and keeping a tidy lot. And it’s not just trees we sell anymore. Wreaths (with or without a bow) have been added along with collectable ornaments of beautiful local places.
From the day after Thanksgiving until the last tree is sold (usually a three-week span,) Rotarians, women and men, work hard through snow, drenching rain and howling winds. It is not glamourous. Volunteers end up exhausted with tired muscles and aching backs. Not to mention cold and soaked, depending on the elements. But more often than not, they leave with a smile.
The modest lot trailer, which provides fleeting shelter, has undergone several face lifts. For many years, it rocked and rolled in the winter wind. Now it has some stability, heat, lights, electricity, a sharp saw, a credit card machine, sturdy chairs, music and snacks. Maybe a bathroom is next?
You could call the annual Christmas tree sale a don’t-miss annual fun-raiser. The smiles, the laughs, the handshakes, the hugs keep it alive and thriving. Tall trees, small trees, fat trees, thin trees. Wreaths, ornaments, tree stands and more. The lot has had it all. Ok, even a few Charlie Brown trees, too.
Everyone can feel good about the Portsmouth Rotary Christmas Tree sale—especially this year. We raised an impressive $45,000, once again making this event our major fundraiser. Of course, all the proceeds are given back to the community, supporting local charities, scholarships and service grants.
It’s easy to see why this annual holiday event is more than a huge Rotary fundraiser. It’s an iconic part of the Portsmouth holiday tradition.
Nancy Notis
Check Donation from Interact to the Clipper Family Fund!
Portsmouth High School Interact Club presents Superintendent (and Rotarian) Steve Zadravec and Principal Mary Lyons with a check for $330 (the proceeds are from the winter quilt raffle) to go to the PHS Clipper Family Fund. Family fund monies are used to help PHS students with financial needs pay for a variety of items to include but not limited to dual enrollment courses, AP exams and field trips..
