Wachusett Brewing Company giving free Christmas trees to soldiers and veterans
By Mike Sullivan, WBZ-TV
WESTMINSTER – Wachusett Brewing Company is partnering with a local non-profit to provide free Christmas trees for veterans and active military men and women.
"We have several folks on staff who are veterans. My father was a Vietnam war vet," Matt Quinlan, director of operations at Wachusett Brewing Company said. "Things are expensive now of days. People are having a hard time making ends meet. We can lighten their burden a bit."
You can register a military member or family on the company's website. They are joining forces with Operation Service.
The non-profit started in 2010 and began providing discounted trees through local vendors. As the operation grew, the trees became free. They will have 50-60 trees for free this Saturday at Wachusett Brewing.
The trees cost them more this year with inflation, but they came prepared.
"We are fundraising all year long. We start the beginning of the year, and we don't stop because we don't want to let anyone down," Joe Firmani, founder of Operation Service said.
The giveaway will open at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Wachusett Brewing is preparing a special beer for the event. It has a holiday taste. A portion of the proceeds from the beer will be donated to charity.
Firmani said free trees are available outside of the Wachusett Brewing event as well.
He said any veteran or military member can go to Garden Spot in Leominster or Cauley's in Fitchburg to get a free tree. You just have to show proper identification.
