How lovely are your branches

Published 9:15 pm Friday, November 24, 2017

If you happen to be a part of that class of people whose house was already decorated for Christmas while Halloween decorations were still up in yards around the city, skip to another part of the paper today; this editorial is not for you — perhaps we’ll address the matter of holiday creep (as opposed to holiday creeps) some other time.

But if — now that Halloween is simply a matter of working your way through the last of those little Three Musketeers bars that nobody wanted, and now that the more pressing leftover matter is how to consume the rest of that big turkey before doing so becomes a crapshoot with salmonella — you are just now considering the task of decorating for Christmas, we have a suggestion that could help both you and a variety of worthy nonprofit organizations around Suffolk: Give one of Suffolk’s nonprofit Christmas tree sellers a chance to earn your business this year.

Two different tree lots in Suffolk will benefit nonprofit organizations this year — the Knights of Columbus lot in the Line-X parking lot on Pruden Boulevard and the Westminster Reformed Presbyterian lot on Godwin Boulevard.

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Trees purchased at either lot will give your home the holiday look and smell you’re going for, and the money raised from the sale of those trees will go back into the community, as opposed to contributing to the profit margin of some company that may or may not have roots here in the city.

This is the 10th year the Knights of Columbus has sold trees, having taken over the project from the Jaycees, which were long known for their Christmas tree sales. The Suffolk News-Herald Cheer Fund, which funds the purchase of toys for children from low-income families, is one of the many beneficiaries of the Knights of Columbus tree lot.

“We do it because we love to do it,” Knights member Mike Bibbo said. “All the proceeds from this lot stay in the community helping various organizations. We are founded on that premise of charity. It’s dear to every one of us.”

Over at Westminster, this is the fourth year the church has sold trees. Church member Barry Cole said 25 percent of the money raised goes to the Western Tidewater Free Clinic. The remainder is used by the church to assist people in need in the community.

The Knights of Columbus lot, located at 2432 Pruden Blvd., will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, noon to 9 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Tree sales at Westminster will take place at the church, 3488 Godwin Blvd., every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., except during Sunday services, until they’re gone, Cole said.

Both organizations are featuring quality trees, and their volunteers are eager to help you pick the best one and get it loaded safely on your vehicle.

So if you’re looking for the tree with the loveliest branches, start at one of these organizations, and you’ll be benefiting your community.