GILBERT, SC – South Carolina Christmas trees will be leaving the state this Friday, Pearl Harbor Day, in a nationwide "Trees for Troops" effort. Trees from growers throughout the state will depart by FedEx from Hollow Creek Tree Farm in Gilbert at 8 a.m. on Friday, December 7. Hollow Creek Tree Farm is located at 228 Windmill Road in Gilbert, SC.

For the third year, the South Carolina Christmas Tree Association (SCTA) is working with the Christmas Spirit Foundation, FedEx, and the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) in this effort to boost the Christmas spirit for U.S. military men and women by providing REAL Christmas trees to REAL troops at military bases in the U.S. and overseas.

An estimated 17,000 trees nationwide will be delivered to 37 bases plus National Guard families in four states (CA, IL, NY, TN) Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy and 15 countries worldwide. Ten thousand of those trees are being donated by more than 750 tree farmers in 29 states.

Hugh Weathers, Commissioner of Agriculture, commends South Carolina growers for their compassion and gift-giving as well as for their support of those defending our nation. He asks South Carolinians to follow their lead this holiday season. Buy a REAL Christmas tree to give a gift to the environment. Growers say there are REAL benefits for the environment for using a REAL tree.

To visit Hollow Creek Farm, follow US 378 nine miles west of Lexington. Turn left onto Priceville Rd. (Citgo on right). Go 1.5 miles, turn right onto Windmill Road.

For more information about the South Carolina Christmas Tree Association, call Mike McCartha, SCTA Executive Director, 803-892-3662 or visit http://www.scchristmastrees.org. For more information about Trees for Troops, visit http://www.christmasspiritfoundation.org/programs/trees4troops/home.htm.