People looking to recycle their natural Christmas trees will have two options, this year.
The ADSS Armada senior girls’ basketball team is fundraising by accepting trees by donation on Jan. 2 and 3 in the back parking lot of the high school. Volunteers will be there to accept trees from 12–3 p.m. They’re asking for a minimum $5 donation, which will go toward the team’s travel expenses and to pay for referees, scorekeepers, etc., team spokesperson Dennis Bill said.
One of the player’s fathers owns Totem Tree Service and offered to chip the trees for a team fundraiser.
“We’re asking community members of Port Alberni to come out and bring their trees if they wish to donate to the senior girls’ basketball team,” Bill said.
“We do a fair amount of travelling and we have a smaller team—smaller teams have to work harder to raise money.”
KidSport will also be holding their tree recycling days on Jan. 6–7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day in the AV Multiplex north parking lot. This is the fourth year that KidSport has offered the service; people can bring their trees and drop them off by donation for recycling. Once the trees are chipped and mulched they will be used by the City of Port Alberni’s Parks, Recreation and Heritage department’s composting program.
“Firemen will be there too, and we’ll have volunteers there,” said Scott Kenny from KidSport.
“Last year they collected 125 trees. Our goal is to exceed that.”
KidSport raised $1,500 last year, and Kenny said the Christmas tree recycling project is a big fundraiser for the program. “We probably help out 200 to 300 kids depending on what they’re applying for each year,” he acknowledged.