Our family has purchased freshly cut Frasier fir Christmas trees from Wishon Tree Farm for several years. This year was no different. Our friends Faron and Ethan Atwood, a father and son from Sparta, NC, oversee this tree lot by the American Legion at 968 Folly Road every year.

On December 17, Ethan contacted me to ask if I knew of any charitable organization in the Charleston area that would like to have “leftover” trees to use for a fundraiser or “to brighten their building”––he was thinking perhaps a children’s home or Boy Scout chapter. They did not want to see their beautiful trees go to waste and would happily deliver them anywhere in the Charleston area. So I called Amey Warder, St. Philip’s Home Missions Committee member, who immediately reached out to Tricounty Family Ministries to offer the 30 Christmas trees.

“The area has always been so good to us [Wishon] that we would love to be able to give anything left over to those who can use and enjoy them,” Ethan texted me on December 20. “We just delivered and the people were already lining up for their trees! It was great to know Tricounty is a faith-based ministry that provides so many services to the local community.”

The excitement and joy of those receiving these unexpected trees reminds me of what Christmas is all about: the gift of love. And to say that this gift to Tricounty Family Ministries made my Christmas is an understatement!

As we consider how we can help our community, let’s all remember St. Philip’s Home Missions, through which we can make a difference throughout the year. 

Tricounty Family Ministries is currently in need of clothing for their clothes closet. Please keep them in mind as you do your spring cleaning! If you’d like to be more involved with home missions opportunities, please contact Amey Warder: (843) 452-9742 or ameywarder@hotmail.com.