The 57th annual Brattleboro Rotary Club Christmas Tree Fundraiser is underway. Since 1965, the Brattleboro Rotary Club has sold Christmas trees as a fundraiser for local student scholarships and this year is no different.
Vermont-grown trees of all shapes and sizes will be sold daily in front of the Brattleboro Bowl on Putney Road until Dec. 12. The trees will be on sale from noon to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
“Like last year, we are shortening the days of the sales so that our members will be better able to provide coverage over the weekend and weekdays,” said immediate past president Carl Lynde. “This year we have fewer trees and our costs have increased. We are hoping that the Christmas spirit will help us again sell the 200 trees we have available this year to support scholarships to area students.”
This is down from 350 trees last year.
The Brattleboro Rotary Club, founded in 1950, is an active club of 60 members who engage in community and human service projects both locally and internationally. The Brattleboro Rotary Club’s Gateway Foundation was established in 1986 to create a local fund to support scholarships awarded annually to Brattleboro-area students pursuing college. The Gateway Foundation, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, is funded by annual Rotary fundraising projects and contributions from Rotarians and other community members.
Proceeds from the Christmas Tree Sale support the club’s annual student scholarship awards of $2,000 to $3,000 each. To date, the club has awarded close to $500,000 in scholarships.
PHOTO CAPTION: Gina Pattison, a member of the Brattleboro Rotary Club, looks for a Christmas tree for her family during the club’s annual Christmas tree sale at the parking lot of Brattleboro Bowl. Kristopher Radder, Brattleboro Reformer