SPRING HILL - What began last holiday season as Treats for Troops, homemade cookies sent to service people in Iraq, has grown this year into Trees for Troops. And Christmas stockings, too. Says chief organizer Barbara Newlin: Imagine being half a world away, in a battle zone, wishing you could be home with your family for the holidays. Then suddenly, unexpectedly, a package is delivered with a small tree just for you, a little touch of home for the holidays, saying somebody cares about you.
Newlin and a group of volunteering friends have purchased 200 artificial trees, 18 inches tall, and are seeking financial and decorative donations to get them on their way to the Mideast. The aim is for military personnel to experience a taste of home and know that they are not forgotten.