Lions Club Christmas tree sale starts Friday
As the holiday season unfolds with wonder and glee, it is time to go out and buy a Christmas tree.
For more than 60 years, the Butler County Lions Club has been selling Christmas trees to the community.
The first day to purchase a tree is Friday, Nov. 25, from noon to 5 p.m.
After Friday, the Lions will be selling trees every Thursday and Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. until they are sold out at Trinity Lutheran Church, 120 Sunset Drive.
Connie Ivill, the club’s media coordinator and a fifth-year member, said there will be 75 trees this season, mostly Fraser firs, with a small assortment of other tree species. All trees will cost $50.
Ivill said the Lions are “very proud” that 100% of the proceeds go to charity, and the majority of that money goes to local charities.
Proceeds from the annual tree sale go to numerous local charities that the club supports year-round, including diabetic education; Butler County Association for the Blind; Envision Blind Sports, an organization that supports blind or visually impaired people by providing opportunities to be physically active; Beacon Lodge, a camp aiding children and adults with special needs; and providing services for people to get guide dogs, free eye exams and glasses.
For at least 20 years, these trees have been sold to the Lions Club at a discounted price by Sam Goldstrom, a Christmas tree farmer in Rural Valley.
Ivill said the trees “sold out pretty quickly last year,” and usually within the first three weeks of opening.
It has been difficult for current members to pinpoint the specific year the Lions Club began selling the trees, but according to Ivill, it has been more than 60 years, with the organization originally selling the trees at the former Butler High School in downtown Butler.
The Butler County Lions Club has served the community since 1923, making this the 99th year for the organization. According to Ivill, the club has begun planning next year’s events celebrating its 100th year.
“We are thrilled about that, we have big plans for our 100th year,” Ivill said.
Ivill and other members of the club strive to serve their community through multiple outlets, including donating funds to local charitable causes and giving their time and abilities to help those in need.
To join the Butler County Lions Club and serve your community, you can attend a club meeting at the Butler County Association for the Blind at 322 N. Cedar St., in downtown Butler at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are held every first and third Tuesday of the month. Memberships are $75 a year with additional family memberships and student memberships at $55.
