American patriotism, agriculture and Christmas spirit will all be present on Sunday Nov. 7 at 2:00 p.m. when Kaleidoscope Farms once again holds a ceremony to honor veterans while serving those who serve their country.
Through the Ohio Christmas Tree Association’s Operation Evergreen Program, local veterans will gather at the farm to pick out Christmas trees that will be shipped to troops overseas for their holidays spent far from home and their loved ones. The local Marine Color Guard, elected officials and area veterans groups have been invited to attend the event.
“This program is so special because it gives us a chance to give just a little to those who are giving so much to us through their service to our country,” said Dave Reese, owner of Kaleidoscope Farms and president of the Ohio Christmas Tree Association. “We hear back from troops every year telling us that they really appreciate what we’re doing for them. It is very hard to be away from their families over Christmas, and any little reminder of home is very important to them.”
Also at the farm will be students from Bluffton and Cory-Rawson Schools and representatives from Kiwanis Village in Tiffin who made decorations to send with the trees. Once the veterans select the Christmas trees for harvest from Kaleidoscope Farms and other farms around the state, they are delivered to the Ohio Department of Agriculture for inspection and then shipped to U.S. military posts around the world. Operation Evergreen was developed by Ohio Christmas Tree Association members in 1995 to bring Christmas cheer to military units serving overseas. This year Kaleidoscope Farms will be sending four of the more than 300 Ohio Christmas trees to troops.
For more information about the event or the Operation Evergreen program, contact Reese at 419-722-1154.
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