Story and Photos by Scott Schaefer

Members of Boy Scout Troop #375 were busy Saturday (Jan. 2nd), at their annual Christmas Tree Recycling Fundraiser in the parking lot of BTB Advertiser Herr Backyard Garden Center on SW 160th, just behind the Cafe Lipshtick espresso booth.

It’s just $5 to donate your tree(s), and they’ll be accepting more tomorrow (Sunday, Jan. 3rd) from 9am to 4pm.

“This is one of two major fundraisers we do every year,” said Scoutmaster Mark Ufkes as he supervised the kids. “Along with our annual dinner at St. Francis, the money raised today will go towards scholarships for camps for scouts. And people should know that a kid can be a Boy Scout without having to pay much money.”

Ufkes continued: “To be a Boy Scout, all you have to do is a) be between 11 and 18 years old, b) be an upstanding citizen, c) believe in a higher power, and d) want to spend a lot of time outdoors doing adventures with other kids. Having money is not a factor.”

Troop #375 serves boys in areas including Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, White Center and West Seattle. For more information, check out their website here.

This event is a “mandatory” one for members of this troop, and we counted at least 12 scouts while we were there Saturday afternoon. Ufkes says that all 20 boys from this troop will help out over the entire weekend, making one wonder:

How many scouts does it take to de-limb a Christmas tree?

To find out, click on Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow below:

Click to View Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow

The large truck hauler used at his event was donated by Scarsella Brothers Construction, who help out every year.

Over the last two years, 16 Eagle Scouts have been awarded in Troop #375, which is an unusually high number. The Troop is currently sponsored by St. Francis of Assisi Church in Burien.

According to the Des Moines Historical Society, Boy Scout Troop #375 was formed March 17, 1924 by Rev. Beatty, Scoutmaster, Rollin Case, and Franklin Lowery. In 1923, Rev. Cyrus Gilbert, a teacher at Sunnydale and Highline High School, had established a troop at Sunnydale.

We here at The B-Town Blog highly recommend that all Readers recycle your tree with these kids, because everything stays local, from the donations, which fund scout activities, to the firewood (which will be sold to raise funds) to the mulch made from the tree chippings (which will end up in a local yard).

It’s that time of year again, when the holiday trimmings start coming off, get put into big plastic storage bins in the shed or garage, leaving behind a dilapidated and dried up, dangerously flammable Christmas tree with no place to go.

And not only that, but you probably also have lots of cardboard boxes, Styrofoam and packing materials scattered about as well.

Here’s your B-Town Blog guide to how to recycle your holiday crap:

BOY SCOUT TROOP #375 RECYCLING EVENT SAT./SUN. JAN. 2-3:

• Boy Scout Troop #375 will be recycling trees on Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 2nd and 3rd) from 9am – 3pm.
• Go to BTB Advertiser Herr Backyard Garden Center on SW 160th near First Ave South, and look for the Boy Scouts and wood chipper device.
• $5 fee per tree.
• Trees must be “clean,” meaning no tinsel, no forgotten ornaments, etc.
• Call Herr Garden Center for more information: 242-2014.

NORMANDY PARK:

• Allied Waste provides curbside collection of Christmas Trees to single-family residential yard debris customers.
• Yard Debris customers can set Christmas trees out on their regularly scheduled collection day.
• Trees must be free of flocking, tinsel, ornaments and metal hangers, cut to 4′ lengths and tied into bundles less than 2′ wide.
• Use biodegradable string or twine – no nylon, plastic or other synthetic materials.
• Flocked trees are not recyclable and will not be accepted – put flocked trees in the garbage.

JAN. 11-15 DES MOINES TREE-CYCLING EVENT:

• Allied Waste will be picking up Christmas trees for City of Des Moines residential curbside customers during the week of January 11 – 15 on the normal garbage pick-up day.
• Place trees curbside, cut into 4′ lengths and tie into bundles no more than 2′ wide.
• Tinsel, garland, and ornament hangers must be removed.
• There will be no charge for this special pick-up.
• Must be a garbage customer to be eligible.
• Trees need to be cut into 4′ lengths and tied into bundles no more than 2′ wide.
• Call Laura Techico with questions at 206-870-6595.

DO IT YOURSELF:

• Waste Management also takes Christmas trees, but we suggest cutting yours in 4′ lengths and tie it into bundles less than 2′ wide, and perhaps even cutting it up and placing it inside your yard waste container.
• Pacific Topsoils, Inc. in Tukwila allows Christmas tree drop-offs; Call for Hours (206) 772-3091; located at 6000 S 129th Street in Tukwila.
• King County has several options for recycling Christmas trees. Call the King County Solid Waste Division Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

More suggestions from Sustainable Burien’s website:

• Styrofoam: at the Sustainable Burien collection event on Thursday, Dec. 31st and Friday, Jan. 1 or at Styrorecycle any time. All Styrofoam must be clean. They’ll also take clean packing peanuts of all types. See their Events page for details.
• Christmas Trees: In your yard waste (ornaments and other non-biodegradable items need to be removed, check with your waste collection company to see how much cutting you need to do) or at the above-mentioned Boy Scout Troop #375 tree-cycling event.
• Boxes and wrapping paper: In with your regular recycling as long as you’ve removed ribbons, bows and any other non-recyclable material. Foil wrappings, wrapping with embedded material and other non-paper wrappings are not recyclable.
• Electronics: Under a Washington State law that went into effect Jan. 1, 2009, TVs, computers, monitors and laptops can be recycled for free at many locations. Usable, working items can be dropped off at most charities who will resell them. Dead or out-dated items can be recycled at a number of locations. Personally I suggest taking all electronics to RE-PC in Tukwila or South Seattle. They will resell what they can, and what can’t be sold is recycled properly and locally through Total Reclaim which is important. Some recycling locations ship material out of State or worse yet out of the country for “recycling” and that can cause big problems. See our archived tip for details. If all you’ve got is items that can’t be resold, save a step and take them all to Total Reclaim. Contact them to see what else they’ll take.
• For other Holiday related items: see the links in the top right corner of the King County Solid Waste Page.

Highline School District’s Camp Waskowitz will he holding an Open House Fundraiser in cooperation with sponsoring North Bend Christmas Tree Farms and the Puget Sound Youth Foundation from Noon to 2:30pm this Sunday, Dec. 6th.

Visit this Historic CCC facility and home to Highline School District’s nationally recognized environmental education outdoor school program, where you can make holiday nature craft items, have your picture taken with “Smokey the Santa,” and receive discount coupons to purchase your own U-cut Christmas Tree.

Just a short drive up I-90, off exit 34. All proceeds from this fundraising event will go to “camperships” to help financially struggling families send their children to Waskowitz Outdoor School.

North Bend Tree Farm Sponsors include: Keith and Scott Tree Farm and Crown Tree Farm.

Here’s more info from HSD’s Waskowitz website:

Founded in 1947 by a group led by future superintendent Carl Jensen, Waskowitz Outdoor School is recognized as a leader in the field of residential outdoor education.  The Carl Jensen Environmental Education Center at Camp Waskowitz serves the students of the Highline Schools, as well as students from surrounding schools and districts, through environmental education and team building programs. When not in use by student groups, the facilities are available to outside groups for rent. Our office is located in Burien at the Woodside site at 18367-8th Avenue South.  Our program site is located in North Bend, Washington at Camp Waskowitz.  For more information on our programs or facility rentals, contact our office at (206) 631-7626.

Camp Waskowitz was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) in 1935 at its present location and was named Camp North Bend.  After the CCC was disbanded, the Camp was sold and later renamed after Fritz Waskowitz from the Chicago area.  Fritz Waskowitz had been a football player and captain at the University of Washington before he became a pilot in World War II, was shot down and killed. The facility was renamed in his honor.  Highline School District began sending students to Waskowitz in 1947 and later bought the property in 1957.  Carl Jensen, then Superintendent of Highline School District, convinced the Highline High School student body to use funds raised for a new sports stadium to buy the property with a promise that the school district would reimburse their fund.  Some time later, Superintendent Jensen and the Highline School District made additional purchases of surrounding land that increased the Camp Waskowitz acreage to its present 372 acres.  Today, Camp Waskowitz is a State and National Historic Preservation site and is one of only two remaining CCC Camps in the United States with all of the original buildings still standing.  Since the inception of the Outdoor Education program in 1947, over 200,000 students have experienced this school in the woods.

You can always tell when the Christmas season is upon us when the cut Christmas trees are on the lot and ready for sale at BTB Advertiser Herr Backyard Garden Center in Burien – let the Holiday’s begin at Burien’s Christmas Store!

Burien-ites have counted on Herr for their fresh-cut Christmas trees for many years, including back in the day when it was Herr Lumber. Still in the original lumber yard location, the Herr sister-in-laws, Diane Herr-Lorella and Lisa Herr continue the family tradition.

You can get your fresh-cut tree starting this Friday, Nov. 27th at 10am. From then until Dec. 23rd they’ll be open seven days a week from 10am-8pm, so you’ll be able to get your picture-perfect tree after work, or on weekends. They’ll also be open ’til 1pm on Christmas Eve.

Hand picked trees include Nobels, Grands, Frasers, Douglas–both shirred and natural–and of course good ole’ deluxe “Charley Browns.” Prices start at just $11.95! Plus they’ve got a gorgeous selection of artificial and flocked trees in their Gift Shop. From “all that glitters IS gold”, to silver to green they’ve got only the best in artificials.

And because Herr is Burien’s Christmas Store, you know you’ll find lots of gifts for everyone on your list. From private label foodstuffs to newley arrived “Pashminas”, novelty tablewear, to Christmas lights, you’ll find that this season Lisa and Diane made some very sharp purchases to pass holiday savings on to their customers. And while you’re in the gift shop be sure and check out their complete wall of affordable and unique and one-of-a kind tree ornaments–the largest selection in the Highline area.

SPECIAL DEAL: And this year when you purchase a Herr Gift Card as a gift, when you mention The B-town Blog, they’ll add 10% to your card.

Let’s see…that means that if you buy a $50 gift card, they’ll put $55 on the card!

Since Herr is a garden store, Diane and Lisa have recommended that you consider giving a living gift of a shrub or tree this Christmas. Give it now and plant it in the spring. They’ve also got a nice selection of live Christmas trees to decorate now and plant later.

‘Tis the season to be jolly. The Christmas season starts this Friday, Nov. 27th when BTB Advertiser Herr Backyard Garden Center’s fresh Christmas trees go on sale starting at 10am.

Herr is located at 107 SW 160th, near the Five Corners area in Burien.

[Would you like to have a “Blogvertorial” story, event listing and/or Ad like this on a popular, fast-growing website seen by nearly 40,000 interested Local Readers every month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]

Welcome our latest Advertiser – Zenith Holland Gardens, located just south of B-Town in Des Moines!

It’s Christmas tree time and Zenith Holland Gardens in Des Moines is the place to find yours.

The trees arrive tomorrow – Friday, Nov. 20th.

“Real trees have a great natural fragrance,” reminds Lyn Robinson of Zenith Holland. “Real trees smell like Christmas!”

Located just south of downtown Des Moines, Zenith Holland is open seven days a week (see map below).

They offer a terrific selection: Noble Fir, Grand Fir and Douglas Fir. Trees come in all sizes, from tabletops to twelve feet.

Many Christmas tree lots accept only cash from their customers. Zenith Holland also takes Visa, Mastercard and personal checks.

“And who actually delivers Christmas trees?” Lyn points out. “Well, we do!” Delivery fees are waived for tree buyers in the local Des Moines area.

While you’re there, check out the wonderful holiday wreaths, garlands and festive centerpieces Zenith Holland is offering.

Zenith Holland is open seven days a week from 10am to 9pm. They open at 9am on Saturdays.

Like a sapling in a forest, Zenith Holland is easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there.

It’s easy to find:

• Head south through downtown Des Moines on Marine View Drive.
• You’ll pass the Red Robin restaurant on your right. Stay in the right lane, curving gently up the hill, past the Taco Time on your left.
• About a quarter mile up you’ll see Zenith Holland’s entry point wooden sign on your left.

Zenith Holland Gardens
23260 Marine View Drive South
Des Moines, WA 98198

Phone: 206-878-7002

Hours:

• Open seven days a week
• Saturday 9am to 9pm
• Sunday through Friday 10am to 9pm

[Would you like to have a “Blogvertorial” story, event listing and/or Ad like this on a popular, fast-growing website seen by nearly 40,000 interested Local Readers every month? Email us for more info, or check out our Advertise page!]

Members of Boy Scout Troop #375 were busy Saturday, recycling Christmas trees for $5 donations in the parking lot of Herr Backyard Garden Center on SW 160th (map below).

They will be accepting more trees tomorrow (Sunday Jan. 4th) from 10am to 3pm.

Here are some photos of the gang in action:

Troop Chairman Ken DeVos, left, works with Dan Caven to prune tree branches from the trunk. The branches go into a truck (below) to be hauled to a recycling center. The trimmed trunks are then kept, stored and dried; they will be re-sold months from now to raise more funds for the troop.

Scarsella Brothers Construction generously donates use of a hauling truck to carry the tree branches away.

Paul Van Bronkhorst, former Scoutmaster, places trimmed tree trunks into his pickup. He’ll store them at his house, and in several months, sell them as firewood to raise more funds for the Troop.

According to the Des Moines Historical Society, Boy Scout Troop #375 was formed March 17, 1924 by Rev. Beatty, Scoutmaster, Rollin Case, and Franklin Lowery. In 1923 Rev. Cyrus Gilbert, a teacher at Sunnydale and Highline High School, had established a troop at Sunnydale.

Over the last year, ten Eagle Scouts have been awarded in Troop #375, which is an unusually high number. The Troop is currently sponsored by St. Francis of Assisi Church in Burien.

Those are some good kids doing good stuff for Burien, so show your support by bringing your tree up!

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