By JOSEPH KELLARD
But then, never before has the nursery, on Atlantic Avenue, sent 75 trees to a war zone.
Last Friday, a Port Authority and Nassau County Police motorcade and a DHL Express helicopter helped escort an 18-wheeler hauling the boxed evergreens to Kennedy Airport, where they were flown to Camp Anaconda in Iraq to spread holiday cheer among U.S. troops.
The trees were due to arrive Nov. 22 and to be distributed by soldiers of the 77th Regional Readiness Command to U.S. military camps and facilities across the war-torn nation. Based in Fort Totten in Bayside, Queens, the unit is responsible for a range of transportation, logistical, engineering, security and medical duties.
This is a wonderful gift for our soldiers, and reflects the true spirit of the Christmas season, said Richard S. Colt, major general commander of the 77th.
The groundwork for this massive urban maneuver began a year ago, when Tom Dee Sr., owner of Dee-s Nursery, on Atlantic Avenue in Oceanside, found it difficult to help one of his customers send a Christmas tree to her son in Iraq. About three weeks ago, Dee was telling this story to another of his regulars, James Adelis Sr. of East Rockaway, who son, James Jr., was deployed to Iraq in January.
Adelis told Dee that if he could supply the trees, Adelis would supply the means of transport overseas. Adelis, the owner of Adelis Securities at JFK, made some phone calls the following day to Colt, the Port Authority, DHL and local businesses to get the ball rolling.
The Port Authority at JFK donated ornaments and lights. Students from Oceanside-s School No. 2 wrote letters of appreciation to the troops.
This is a great day, said Adelis as reporters and TV cameramen captured the event in Dee-s parking lot. My son is there and serving his country, and it-s all voluntary on his part. And what we-re doing here today, putting a smile on these kids- faces I don-t think they-ll ever forget this. I know I won-t.
Adelis-s son joined the Army Reserves in February 2003, as part of the 77th Transport Battalion. He left for Iraq last February, saying, I know everyone back home will be standing with me while I-m over there. After a short leave in September, which brought him home to East Rockaway for two weeks, James Jr. returned to his unit in Iraq, and will finish his tour of duty this spring.
It-s exciting to see how people came out to support our troops, said Lucy Adelis, James-s mother. It doesn-t matter if they support the war or not, we all support the troops who are putting their lives on the line. So if we can bring a little Christmas to them, that-s great.
All of us at Dee-s just want the troops to know how much we love them and appreciate their sacrifices, said Tom Dee Jr., who used a forklift to load the trees onto DHL-s 18-wheeler. (DHL, the global shipping service, is the only non-military airline permitted to travel into Iraq, and does so daily.)
This is a small idea that escalated into something great, said Chris Johncharles, a driver for DHL who has a daughter serving in Iraq. When management found out my daughter is in Iraq, it became an even bigger occasion for us.
Before departing for the airport, Adelis thanked everyone involved in making the day and the donation possible, and expressed particular appreciation for the Dee-s family, whom he called great people.
Comments about this story? DMiller@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
