FedEx delivering Christmas trees to 45 military bases

This holiday season, FedEx aims to plant some holiday spirit among America's armed forces by partnering with Christmas tree growers to ship live-cut trees to more than 45 military bases.

The Memphis, Tenn.-based delivery giant and the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation launched the fourth annual Trees for Troops drive today, with 300 trees scheduled to be picked up in Columbus, Ohio, for delivery to troops in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.

Another 100 trees will leave the FedEx Express hub in Indianapolis on Nov. 20, headed for service members stationed in Bahrain and the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

Through the foundation, the National Christmas Tree Association expects to donate 16,000 trees to the effort, bringing the total since 2005 to about 50,000. FedEx is donating transportation and logistics support.

And this season, FedEx and the foundation have added a new wrinkle by providing avenues for public participation.

About 40 FedEx Office locations nationally are encouraging customers to sign greeting cards that will accompany trees. The cards were available Tuesday in honor of Veteran's Day and will remain at customer service counters through Friday.

Also, the public can join in Trees for Troops by buying sponsorships at tree lots Dec. 5-7.

A list of participating vendors may be found at www.treesfortroops.org.

"We hope the gift of a real Christmas tree helps to brighten the holiday for so many deserving military personnel and their families across the country and overseas," said Nicole Fischer, spokesman for the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation.

FedEx Freight president and CEO Douglas G. Duncan, added," Trees for Troops delivers much-needed cheer to those families whose loved ones are serving our country and will not be home for the holidays. This program gives us a chance to say thanks to the men, women and families who give so much to protect our freedom."

FedEx Freight trucks have logged more than 90,000 miles picking up and delivering Trees for Troops since 2005.

(Wayne Risher is a reporter for the Commerical Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.)