The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

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  • A Boy Scout assists a customer during the Optimist Club of Tarboro’s annual Christmas Tree Sale. The sale starts at 9 a.m. Saturday next to All About Flowers on Howard Avenue.

    Optimist Christmas.jpeg
November 16, 2012

Optimist Christmas tree sale starts Saturday

Editor and Publisher John H. Walker

TARBORO — The annual sale exclusively features North Carolina-grown Frazier Fir trees that range in height from 6-feet to 10-feet. Proceeds from the sale benefit the youth of Tarboro and Edgecombe County.

The tree lot will be open from 1-8:30 p.m. Sunday-Friday and from 9 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. Trees will also be available Thanksgiving Day from 2-8:30 p.m.

Traditionally, the Optimists have ordered their trees from Yates Christmas Trees & Landscaping in Boone because of the freshness and the overall quality.

Optimist Club President Bobby Freuler said the generosity of the community over the years has allowed the club support three local area Boy Scout Troops as well as the Tarboro High School baseball team.

He said many local youths, including first generation students, have realized their college aspirations through proceeds from the Christmas Tree sale.

“How many readers of the newspaper and their kin folk have played youth sports with "Optimist" emblazoned across the jersey?” he asked.

Funds have also help send youngsters on trips to visit Washington, D.C. and young musicians have realized their dreams of playing in

front of hundreds through the generosity of the community, he said.

The Optimist Club also sponsors an annual oratorical contest as well as honoring local law enforcement and first responders at an annual banquet.

generosity.

“We call on parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, teachers, mentors and friends of our local

youth to help us once again,” Freuler said.  “Purchasing one of our Christmas Trees is a small way of saying ‘Yes, we support our local youth.’”

Freuler said delivery of the freshly cut trees is expected around 8 Saturday morning.

 

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