Bagpipes echoed across Atlantic Avenue on Dec. 8 as uniformed officers stood at attention along with hundreds of community members who had gathered at Dees’ Nursery, where more than 400 Christmas trees were formally sent off to U.S. service members stationed overseas.
The 22nd annual Trees for Troops ceremony opened with the Nassau County Police Department Emerald Pipe Band and color guard, followed by the American Bombshells’ rendition of the national anthem. The Rev. Henry Reid, pastor of the Roman Catholic Parishes of Five Towns, blessed the trees, which were adorned with handwritten letters and messages of gratitude.
“These soldiers are not forgotten,” Reid said. “The trees reflect the love and hope we have, and that they may come home safe for their loved ones.”
Gold Star families — those who have lost loved ones in military service — stood alongside veterans, students and volunteers. Students read portions of their letters aloud before they were placed with the trees, sharing messages of gratitude, encouragement and hope.
“This is the time of giving, and nobody deserves it more than the people who serve this country,” Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Patrick Ryder said. “Every man and woman who puts on that uniform takes the risk that they may never come home. This is our way of saying thank you.”
Students played a central role in the effort, contributing thousands of personal messages for the troops. More than 1,000 handwritten letters were collected at Oceanside High School alone, many written during class time as part of lessons on civic engagement and service.
“You made sure our soldiers are not forgotten,” Ben Thompson, of American Legion Post 1896, said at the ceremony, thanking the students and volunteers.
The Girl Scouts of Nassau County also took part through Operation Cookie, a program launched 20 years ago that sends treats as well as messages of support to the troops. CEO Rande Bynum said the scouts’ involvement reflects a longstanding commitment to community service.
As the ceremony concluded, the crowd watched as a police-escorted motorcade loaded with the trees departed from the nursery, headed for Kennedy Airport. Emergency vehicles driven by local police officers, firefighters and EMTs led the procession, followed by vintage military Jeeps from World War II. Santa and Mrs. Claus, who had greeted families and posed for photos with children, waved as the convoy rolled out.
Later that night, the trees were flown out of Kennedy Airport thanks to a longstanding partnership with DHL Express. They passed through the carrier’s domestic hub in Cincinnati before continuing on to the Middle East, and arrived two days later at military bases Bahrain, Djibouti, Iraq, Jordan and Kuwait, along with care packages and holiday items — including Christmas and Hanukkah items — for troops spending the season far from home.
For many of the service members who will receive them, the trees serve as a powerful reminder of home and community support at a time of year that can be especially difficult for military families.
The Oceanside ceremony is part of DHL’s national Operation Holiday Cheer initiative, which for more than two decades has partnered with Dees’ and other New York-area organizations to deliver trees and holiday items to troops overseas.
“It’s important that we support our local businesses because they support us,” Cathy O’Reilly, manager of commercial air aviation for DHL, said. O’Reilly has been involved in the program since its early years.
Trees for Troops began in 2004, after a local Oceanside woman with a son deployed in Iraq asked Dees’ owner Tom DiDominica Sr. if he could send her son a Christmas tree. DiDominica agreed, but needed help shipping it overseas. He mentioned the idea to a friend, local businessman Jim Adelis, who contacted DHL and helped put the plan into motion with O’Reilly and other company leaders.
What started as a single request quickly grew into an annual effort that has since delivered thousands of trees and holiday packages to troops around the world. Adelis died in 2021, but organizers said his vision and generosity continue to shape the program. Each year, the sight of trees leaving Oceanside carries deeper meaning — not only as a holiday tradition, but also as a message of remembrance and solidarity.
