The annual Trees for Troops program in Carbon County will result in 400 Christmas trees to be donated to American soldiers and their families.

Of this, 103 are being given by various Christmas tree growers throughout the county, dozens from various organizations and local schools, and the rest from the efforts of Yenser's Tree Farm in Mahoning Township.Yenser's is the local coordinator of the Trees for Troops program.During a program for Trees for Troops on Friday at Yenser's, co-owner Drew Yenser said the number of trees being given is less than last year, but the program still is a big success.Last year, 533 trees were donated.Trees for Troops is a national program coordinated by FedEx. Two 35-foot FedEx trailers sat on the Yenser property. One was filled Friday by the various Carbon tree growers.The other was empty. Yenser grabbed a tree and put it into the trailer to symbolize the start of filling that vehicle.He said the vehicles will depart for a military base on Monday.People can donate trees when they purchase their own tree at Yenser's or just stop at the tree farm and make a Trees for Troops donation.Among the donations announced were:• The Lehighton United Veterans Organization, 10 trees ($250).• L.B. Morris Elementary School in Jim Thorpe, Kidder Campus of Jim Thorpe School District, and Jim Thorpe High School, over 60 trees.• Shull-David Elementary School, Lehighton, 32 trees.• Mahoning Township Elementary School, a donation of $416.43.• Zion United Church of Christ, Lehighton, $500.• Lehighton American Legion, $250.• State Rep. Doyle Heffley, $100.• First Niagara Bank, $100.• Lehighton Ford, eight trees.Speakers were Heffley and Carbon County Commissioners' Chairman Wayne E. Nothstein.Heffley praised the Yensers for their contributions to Trees for Troops, saying, "The war on terrorism is still active."He said his nephew, Devon, is serving in the Marines in Oklahoma and is one of the many American families who won't be home for Christmas.Nothstein also thanked the Yensers."Please, in your prayers, remember our servicemen and veterans," he said. "Being a veteran, I know what it's like to be away from families and friends at Christmas."The UVO Color Guard of Lehighton also participated in the program.Trees for Troops became a national program in 2005 when the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, a charitable organization of the National Christmas Tree Association, unified the individual programs of tree growers and state Christmas Tree Associations.The Christmas SPIRIT Foundation partnered with the FedEx Corporation to ship the Christmas trees from the tree growers and have them delivered to military bases.