Trees for Troops Named 2017 Spirit of Hope Award Recipient

The Spirit of Hope Award, established in 1997, is named for comedian and actor Bob Hope and recognizes current and former military members, civilians and organizations that epitomize his values of patriotism, loyalty, freedom and dedication.  Captain Sean Carroll, chief, Office of External Outreach & Heritage, Governmental and Public Affairs Directorate, U.S. Coast Guard, presided over the ceremony, which recognized honorees associated with all military branches, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Each branch nominates potential honorees. Trees for Troops was nominated by the Coast Guard Community Services Command. Trees for Troops chairman Dick Darling and executive director Ann O'Connor, along with FedEx Freight senior vice president of Human Resources Jeffery Greer, accepted the award on behalf of the program.

Trees for Troops is a joint program between the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, the charitable branch of the National Christmas Tree Association, and FedEx.  Since the program was established in 2005, FedEx has delivered more than 191,000 real Christmas trees to troops and military families at more than 60 military bases in the U.S. and overseas.  In this, its 13^th year, the Trees for Troops program will surpass the 200,000^th tree mark and expects to deliver at least 17,000 trees.

"To receive a real Christmas tree while overseas is a tremendous experience because it boosts your morale while you're taking care of the nation's business," says Marvin Hill, project management advisor for FedEx Freight and a 35-year U.S. Army Veteran.  "At the same time, trees are also delivered to military families back home, reassuring service members that their families are also being taken care of during the most wonderful time of the year.  As a part of our FedEx Cares program, we are proud to leverage our global network in this way to help deliver the holidays for thousands of our heroes."

Visit www.TreesforTroops.org to make a monetary donation, or visit a participating tree farm location during the weekend of December 1–3, 2017, to purchase a real tree to be delivered by FedEx to a military base the following week.  The 2017 Trees for Troops program is sponsored by FedEx, the Christmas Tree Promotion Board, Ste. Michelle Winery and JM Family Enterprises.

About Trees for Troops  
Christmas tree growers have been providing free trees for military families for many years.  In 2005, FedEx contacted the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, the 501(c)(3) charitable branch of the National Christmas Tree Association, and wanted to be involved in the foundation's mission.  Together the two organizations expanded the idea of providing Christmas trees to military families, and Trees for Troops was born. In 2012, Trees for Troops was also honored for exemplary service and support to military families in a ceremony at the White House for the top 20 national finalists in the Joining Forces Community Challenge, an initiative started by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden.

About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services.  With annual revenues of $61 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand.  Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 400,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit about.fedex.com.

Contact:
Ann O’Connor
Christmas SPIRIT Foundation
[email protected]
(800) 965-1653

Lillie Flenorl
FedEx
(901) 434-3226
[email protected]

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SOURCE Trees for Troops

Related Links

http://www.TreesforTroops.org