As a fundraiser for both the Newtown Middle School and Reed Intermediate School Interact Clubs, donated trees will be sold starting Saturday, December 7, for $40 each.

According to NMS Interact Club Advisor Bruce Moulthrop, the fundraiser would not be possible without the generous donation of 100 trees — including balsam, white spruce, and blue spruce trees — from NMS science teacher Jason Adams, whose family has had a Newtown tree farm for generations. Due to Mr Adams’s grandfather’s age, he can no longer take care of the tree farm, according to Mr Moulthrop.

“[Mr Adams] thought it would be nice to donate the trees to us so we could have a fundraiser,” Mr Moulthrop said.

Mr Moulthrop said the idea started at the end of the 2012-13 school year, and over the summer he visited the tree farm a number of times. Parent volunteers and members of The Rotary Club of Newtown worked to cut the trees on November 23 in order to sell the 100 trees on Saturday, December 7, and Sunday, December 8, from 10 am until 4 pm, while supplies last.

The sale will continue on Saturday, December 14, and Sunday, December 15, with the same times if there are trees left to sell, according to Mr Moulthrop. The trees will be sold in the back parking lot of Reed Intermediate School.

The Interact Club Christmas Tree Sale was announced through flyers and an e-mail to parents, according to Mr Moulthrop.

The Interact Clubs are sponsored by The Rotary Club of Newtown.

According to Mr Moulthrop, the Christmas tree sale will raise money for the two Interact clubs and part of the proceeds will be donated to local charities, including a charity associated with the events of 12/14, though that charity has yet to be chosen.

Parent volunteers worked to help cut the 100 trees on November 23, and a truck donated by Black Swan Hearth & Home was used to transport the trees.

“Since the economy has been poor for the last several years, this fundraiser is going to benefit the customer as well with all trees selling at $40 each,” Mr Moulthrop wrote in an e-mail to parents. “At 100 trees, this gives us a profit of $4,000. Each club then will receive $2,000.”