Make your Holiday decorations 'green' and support charity
FROM STAFF REPORTS Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Inset: Ralph Gaither, Ray Shane and Jim Cibula (obscured by tree) set up a tree for the Gulf Breeze Optimist Christmas Tree sale.

Nothing beats the smell of a fresh cut fraser fir, just ask members of the Gulf Breeze Optimist Club. The Optimists set up shop and sell the trees every year for the holiday season. Not only do the aromatic trees add charm to any family's decorations, but their sale benefits local children as well. Local Chapter President Ray Shane said the club brought in approximately 500 trees from North Carolina and they plan to sell out, as they do every year.

Christmas tree sales began Sunday, Nov. 18, and will continue Monday through Friday from 3 to 7:30 pm until mid December. Saturday and Sunday hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Christmas tree lot is located behind the Gulf Breeze High School baseball field, at the corner of Highway 98 and Andrew Jackson Trail. Tree prices range from $35 to $95 depending on size. As a non-profit organization, the Gulf Breeze Optimists contribute all funds to benefit our area youth. This year the Optimists donated $10,000 in scholarships to local students and $6,500 to The Zoo - Northwest Florida. Shane said education is an important aspect for the community and said the zoo is an important educational resource for the community.

For more information about Christmas Trees or Gulf Breeze Optimist Club activities, contact Shane at 850-324-0071, Charles Gray at 850-932-3835 or Fred Seager at 850-934- 8247.

Meeting the needs of young people in communities worldwide, Optimist Clubs have been "Bringing Out the Best in Kids" since 1919. Optimist Clubs conduct positive service projects aimed at providing a helping hand to youth. Club Members are best known in their communities for their upbeat attitudes. By believing in young people and empowering them to be the best they can, Optimist volunteers continually make this world a better place to live. There are 105,000 individual members who belong to more than 3,200 autonomous clubs. Optimists conduct 65,000 service projects each year, serving six million young people. Optimists also spend $78 million on their communities annually.