The evergreen tree is a familiar symbol of celebration that unites much of the world during the Christmas season. The brightly decorated trees, such as spruce, fir and pine, grace the homes of millions of people during the holidays.
To ensure people in Yellowknife can share in the joy of placing one of those fragrant, tall trees in their living rooms, the Yellowknife Scouting Group preserved the tradition of bringing in a truckload of fir and spruce from southern Canada SA国际影视传媒� a tradition that the late Barb Bromley started when her son, Bob, a former Yellowknife MLA, was around five or six years of age, said Mike Kalnay, a Scout leader volunteering with the annual tree sale.
SA国际影视传媒淲e bring in 400 trees and if we sell them all, we will raise enough money to run our scouting program for the year,SA国际影视传媒� Kalnay said of the fundraising initiative.
Standing among the rows of tightly-bound fir and spruce, Kalnay said the trees SA国际影视传媒� species that do not grow in Yellowknife SA国际影视传媒� travelled a long way to reach their Northern destination.
SA国际影视传媒淲e usually get them from Waskesiu in Saskatchewan, but we had to find a new supplier last year, so now, these trees come from Johnston Brothers Tree Farm in Oxford Station, Ontario,SA国际影视传媒� Kalnay said.
By truck and train
The trees were first shipped from the tree farm, located outside of Ottawa, by truck to Montreal, then put on a train to Edmonton. From there, two different trucks from Edmonton got them safely to their Yellowknife destination.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 quite the journey,SA国际影视传媒� Kalnay said.
Funding fun
Volunteer Brian Maule, whose son is a Scout, said because the fundraiser is a major contributor to the Scouts program, all the kids are funding their own activities, which takes the burden away from a familySA国际影视传媒檚 finances.
SA国际影视传媒淔or the Scouts, it creates a revenue stream and allows them to provide a really valuable experience for the kids, which they are not going to get any other way,SA国际影视传媒� Maule said. SA国际影视传媒淢y son this weekend is camping, as an example, and ISA国际影视传媒檓 here volunteering because he canSA国际影视传媒檛.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭hey are great activities,SA国际影视传媒� he added.
Price freeze
On Saturday, the opening day for the tree lot, business was brisk, with a line forming outside the fenced-in space in the Co-op parking lot. For patrons not sure about whether their chosen tree would actually fit inside their home, a long wooden measuring stick was on hand to help people make their SA国际影视传媒榡ust rightSA国际影视传媒� choice.
Kalnay said he enjoys seeing people picking out their trees and carrying them off for the holidays, all for a good cause. He noted that the tree prices remain the same as last year.
SA国际影视传媒淓ven though transportation costs have doubled, we have kept our cost the same,SA国际影视传媒� he said, adding that it was made possible because of help from Yellowknife businesses.
SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 no inflation at the tree yard,SA国际影视传媒� he laughed.
The Yellowknife Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers program is open to children and youth between the ages of five to 17.
SA国际影视传媒擝y Jill Westerman, Northern News Services
