RIO GRANDE — Lowe’s Home Improvement Center here donated 35 freshly cut Christmas trees to Our Lady Star of the Sea School Nov. 28.

The school will sell the trees as a fundraiser, according to PTA President Frank Zelenik. He said it is the first time the school has sold Christmas trees.

Zelenik said parent Keith Lafferty came up with the idea to sell trees.

“About two weeks ago, we weren’t able to get any wholesalers from down south or even out towards Pennsylvania that had any trees left that could get them to us,” Zelenik said.

Lafferty approached Lowe’s and the trees were quickly donated, said Zelenik.
He said he was grateful to Lowe’s for donating the trees, which allows 100 percent of funds raised to go to the school.

Zelenik said if the school had purchased trees from a wholesaler, only 50 percent of the proceeds would have benefited the school.

“It really helps out our school especially in these economic times to find someone to donate that kind of money to a school,” he said.

Two flats of trees were standing by when volunteers from the school arrived with a pick up truck and motorcycle trailer.

Lowe’s Rio Grande Store Manager Dan Hawkins told the Herald each year the company undertakes a program called “Lowe’s Heroes,” enabling each Lowe’s store to take on a charitable project. The program allowed the Rio Grande store to donate 35 Christmas trees.
Throughout the year, the store makes donations to the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and American Red Cross, said Hawkins.

The Christmas trees came from Oregon and the mountains of North Carolina, he said. Donated trees included Douglas Firs and Noble Firs.

“It’s a privilege to be active in the community and help community organizations all year long and we are blessed to be with a company that is able to do that every single year,” said Hawkins.

In their red vests, Hawkins and Lowe’s Human Resources Manager Bridget Maminski, Operations Manager Jason Morrell and Administrative Manager Mary Beth Beers looked like Santa’s helpers loading Christmas trees into the trailer.

The school was taking advance orders for the trees. Any trees not pre-sold will be available at the school for sale during the weekend of the West Cape May Christmas Parade Dec. 6, said Zelenik.
The school’s Web site has an order form for the trees:
http://ladystar.capemayschools.com
Contact Fichter at (609) 886-8600 Ext 30 or at: jfichter@cm