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Trees from Home to spread holiday cheer

Photo

Photo by Bill Olmsted

DAR member Karen Bernard writes in a Christmas card that will accompany a 12 inch , decorated Christmas tree and a bag of candy that the organization will be sending to soldiers serving overseas during the upcoming holiday season.

JANESVILLE — Wisconsin soldiers serving overseas will get a little piece of home this holiday season.

Each gift, compliments of the Wisconsin Society Daughters of the American Revolution, will include a fully decorated 12-inch artificial Christmas tree, a bag of Christmas candy and a Christmas card.

The project, Trees From Home, is the brainchild of the group's statewide Project Patriot Committee, led by chairman Julie Stuhlmacher of Glendale. The idea took root in September when the group held its statewide fall workshop in Eau Claire.

Every DAR member in the state is participating, said Anne Wanke, Janesville chapter regent.

It's an expansion of the society's project of sending personal care items to women serving in the military overseas the last two years, she said.

Soldiers from Wisconsin—there are 3,200—fighting the war on terrorism overseas are supposed to receive holiday packages, Wanke said.

"We're expecting to send 600 trees in November to start, and we're going to keep collecting so we can do this ongoing project every year," she said.

"We're all cooperating together, and each chapter is doing as much as they can,'' Wanke said.

On Tuesday, Janesville chapter members gathered to sign Christmas cards after their monthly meeting.

Wanke explained the importance of the chapter's member involvement.

"We have been told by people overseas that receiving a tree is one of the most important personal things that could happen for them to keep in touch with home,'' she said.

"Christmas is such a hard time to be away. When they receive a tree, it's like having a piece from home. It lifts morale and also puts us in touch with individual soldiers. It gives them a sense of somebody in Wisconsin who knows who they are, cares what happens to them and wants to give them a reminder of home. That's why we're doing this,'' she said.

Wanke also said the project fits with DAR's mission, which is to promote patriotism, preserve American history and support better education for children.

Through Trees from Home, Wanke hopes the DAR establishes personal contacts "so we can write to the guys (serving) overseas."

DAR is open to any woman 18 or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution. There are more than 165,000 members and 3,000 chapters worldwide.