The day after Thanksgiving marks the start of a longtime holiday fundraising tradition in Great Falls: the opening of the Uptown Optimist Club’s annual Christmas tree fundraiser.
This year, the club has stocked the lot with about 800 Christmas trees, ranging from Grand Firs to Fraser Firs and Douglas Firs. Volunteers opened the doors on Friday morning, and those on site said customers were already lined up to find their perfect tree.
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“We’ll be open from nine to eight every day until we sell out, which happens quicker than you think,” said club president Josh Cinqmars. “We usually go through a little over 800 trees in about two weeks.”
Planning for the lot begins as early as August. The trees are harvested and delivered by growers in Montana and Idaho, then unloaded with the help of club members and volunteers.
Cinqmars says the Christmas tree lot is one of the Optimist Club’s two biggest fundraisers of the year, the other being parking lot striping done throughout the summer.
Every dollar raised from the tree sales goes directly into programs that serve local kids.
“All that money goes into the club, and then we dole it out to Alliance for Youth, Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters,” said longtime member Eric, who has been with the organization for about 12 years. “We also help kids with cancer. We can’t pay for surgeries, but we help families with fuel and hotel stays.”
The group also supports Great Falls Speech and Debate, Shop with the Op, and roughly 15 other smaller youth-focused organizations and programs each year. Funds are distributed throughout the year as requests come in.
“Our whole mission is helping kids,” Cinqmars said.
Volunteers say the trees are especially healthy this year, and with steady crowds on opening day, they expect another fast sell-out.
The Uptown Optimist Club’s Christmas tree lot is located inside the beef barn at the Montana ExpoPark, and will remain open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. until all trees are gone.
