"Thank you, soldiers, be you young or old," reads a message fastened to an 18-foot Christmas tree at the El Dorado County Veterans Monument."Best wishes to Sgt. Ryan, U.S. Army, WIA Iraq, Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, D.C.," reads another.
In El Dorado County, home to forestland and Christmas tree farms, the holiday evergreen has become a symbol of solidarity between troops on the front lines and family and friends on the home front.
Friends of the El Dorado County Veterans Monument installed the tree amid memorial plaques and benches on a knoll next to the county government center in Placerville. Then they invited the community to decorate it with messages for veterans and active service members.
The idea wasn't original, said Richard Buchanan, a spokesman for the group. A similar observance began a few years ago at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.Larry Hyder, owner of Indian Rock Tree Farm in Camino, donated the tree for the monument. A Korean War veteran, Hyder, 79, has been shipping Christmas trees to troops worldwide for 35 years.
"That is a real blessing for us," said Hyder, who sent about 65 trees overseas this year.
The idea originated during the Vietnam War with the late Carl Borelli, a former Placerville city councilman and county supervisor. The tradition continues with the support of numerous individuals and community groups, Hyder said.
Each 26-inch silvertip receives a fresh cut. Then a water-soaked sponge is wrapped around the trunk, and a plastic bag fastened over it with rubber bands.
The trees, shipped via the U.S. Postal Service, typically reach their destination within a week, and they arrive fresh, Hyder said.
El Dorado County Supervisor Helen Baumann said her son, Capt. Matthew Baumann, a Marine Corps pilot on his second tour of duty in Iraq, was among this year's Christmas tree recipients.
"I was so touched that they actually found him," she said, explaining that her son's squadron had been ...
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By Cathy Locke
clocke@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2008 | Page 3B
Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 608-7451.
