The Christmas Tree Sale at IKEA was a success again this year because of the efforts of the volunteers of the Montour Trail. This year's event was organized by John Wasco and Dennis Pfeiffer.

John contacted many of the area schools and was very successful in recruiting volunteers. Students volunteered from Fort Cherry, Montour and West Allegheny High Schools. The students provided a significant contribution to the event. Helping to by selling trees, tagging, trimming and wrapping.

The proceeds from the trimming and wrapping operation are considered donations to the Montour Trail. We have had an arrangement with IKEA for several years to provide this service. This year in addition to the proceeds from trimming and wrapping trees IKEA is donating $300. Volunteers were also treated to complimentary meals at the IKEA restaurant, a free tree and a chance to win an Ikea padded chair in a special volunteer's raffle.

The diverse backgrounds of our volunteers never cease to amaze me. We had a retired surgeon, an airline pilot, a marketing manager from Coca-Cola and a manager of the plastics division of Bayer unwrapping and selling trees along with our services to cut and wrap. I had the distinct impression that they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. One of our best and most unusual volunteers alternates her time between here and California. In addition to working for US Airways Lois Betts volunteers for the Montour Trail while in the Pittsburgh Area. Lois helped out by volunteering two days for the tree sale in the morning, a difficult time slot to fill.

Perhaps, the real story is that the Montour Trail volunteers completed another successful event with strong support from all of the friends groups. I don't even know the final number of volunteers who worked the event. People just showed up and started to work. I would estimate however that we had close to 80 volunteers working over the four-day period.

The proceeds from the tree sale totaled around $1,700.00. Along with the Ikea's donation of $300 that will net the trail just over $2,000.

Sincere thanks to all of the special people who came out in cold weather to support the event.

- Jess Forquer