CONTACT: Eric Durr, 518-786-4581

FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Dec 03, 2009

BALLSTON SPA, NY (12/02/2009)(readMedia)-- Three presently serving and one retired Army National Guard Soldiers will be on hand tomorrow morning at the Ellms Tree Farm to help load about 150 Christmas trees being donated and sent to military bases around the country to support troops and military families this holiday season. WHO: Lt. Col. Paul Sausville served in Iraq in 2005, Lt. Col. Art Zegers also served in Iraq in 2005, Lt. Col. Paul Fanning served in Afghanistan last year and Staff Sgt. (ret) Joel Powzyk retired from the Guard in 2007. The men reside in the Ballston Spa/Malta area and are assigned to the State Headquarters in Latham. WHAT: Loading of about 150 Christmas Trees on Fed Ex trucks for the "Trees for Troops" Program WHEN: 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, December 3rd. WHERE: Ellms Christmas Trees, 468 Charlton Road, Ballston Spa, NY 12020 Coverage Opportunity: Video and images of the volunteers loading trees into Federal Express trucks. There will be opportunities to speak with the Ellm's and the Guardsmen Volunteers. Additional Information: Trees for Troops pick up will again be at Ellms' Christmas Trees in Charlton on December 3, Thursday, at 10:00 am. This holiday season, Trees for Troops is expected to collect and deliver about 15,000 real Christmas Trees to 53 military bases in the US and overseas. Last year 17,082 trees went to soldiers or their spouses at US military bases and in Kuwait, Iraq , Afghanistan and other locations. These trees were donated by more than 700 tree farms from 29 states. FedEx Corp. generously pays for the delivery of these trees. The Trees for Troops program was launched in 2005, and with the help of FedEx Corp., delivered more than 4,300 Christmas Trees to five U.S. military bases, as well as an overseas shipment to the Middle East that year. More information is also available at www.TreesforTroops.org For more information call or email Chip Ellms at 518-441-4445 or gellms@aol.com For additional information, contact Lt. Col. Paul Fanning at (518) 786-4518 office or at (518) 441-4106 cell. FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-Army-National-Guard/112535293973?ref=search&sid=100000443776901.3155842963..1 Twitter: http://twitter.com/NationalGuardNY YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/nynationalguard Photo From the left LTC Paul Fanning, Mr. Chip Ellms of Ellms Christmas Trees, LTC Art Zegers, LTC Paul Sausville and SFC (ret) Joel Powzyk. Loaded more than 100 trees onto the Fed Ex truck for shipment to Fort Benning, GA for enlisted soldiers and military families. WHO: Lt. Col. Paul Sausville served in Iraq in 2005, Lt. Col. Art Zegers also served in Iraq in 2005, Lt. Col. Paul Fanning served in Afghanistan last year and Staff Sgt. (ret) Joel Powzyk retired from the Guard in 2007. The men reside in the Ballston Spa/Malta area and are assigned to the State Headquarters in Latham. WHAT: Loading of about 150 Christmas Trees on Fed Ex trucks for the "Trees for Troops" Program WHEN: 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, December 3rd. WHERE: Ellms Christmas Trees, 468 Charlton Road, Ballston Spa, NY 12020 Coverage Opportunity: Video and images of the volunteers loading trees into Federal Express trucks. There will be opportunities to speak with the Ellm's and the Guardsmen Volunteers. Additional Information: Trees for Troops pick up will again be at Ellms' Christmas Trees in Charlton on December 3, Thursday, at 10:00 am. This holiday season, Trees for Troops is expected to collect and deliver about 15,000 real Christmas Trees to 53 military bases in the US and overseas. Last year 17,082 trees went to soldiers or their spouses at US military bases and in Kuwait, Iraq , Afghanistan and other locations. These trees were donated by more than 700 tree farms from 29 states. FedEx Corp. generously pays for the delivery of these trees. The Trees for Troops program was launched in 2005, and with the help of FedEx Corp., delivered more than 4,300 Christmas Trees to five U.S. military bases, as well as an overseas shipment to the Middle East that year. More information is also available at www.TreesforTroops.org For more information call or email Chip Ellms at 518-441-4445 or gellms@aol.com For additional information, contact Lt. Col. Paul Fanning at (518) 786-4518 office or at (518) 441-4106 cell. FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-Army-National-Guard/112535293973?ref=search&sid=100000443776901.3155842963..1 Twitter: http://twitter.com/NationalGuardNY YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/nynationalguard Photo Cutline: From the left LTC Paul Fanning, Mr. Chip Ellms of Ellms Christmas Trees, LTC Art Zegers, LTC Paul Sausville and SFC (ret) Joel Powzyk. Loaded more than 100 trees onto the Fed Ex truck for shipment to Fort Benning, GA for enlisted soldiers and military families.

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