Steamboat Pilot & Today

As sure as the day after Thanksgiving means turkey sandwiches and reheated stuffing, it also means it is time to buy a Christmas tree.

Today, the members of Ski Town Lions Club and Old Town Lions Club will be selling trees, ranging in size from 5 feet to 20 feet, in the lot that usually houses Sweet Pea Produce on U.S. Highway 40 and in front of Christie Sports in the Central Park Plaza.

The proceeds from the sale of the trees will fund the two Lions Clubs' annual charitable endeavors.

Because the tree salesmen are volunteers, the trees typically are available for sale during the evenings and weekends when Lions Club members are not working.

The Lions Clubs ordered 350 trees from a tree farm in Michigan and will be selling them until the supply runs out, which usually takes two weeks, club member Del Delhaute said.

Money raised through tree sales primarily goes toward helping people afford eyeglasses.

"We help them with the cost of exams and frames as much as we have money for," Delhaute said. The group gives the money to optometrists, who then designate which patients are most in need.

Until recently, the Lions Club had donation boxes set up at the post offices for people to leave their old eyeglass frames.

"They kicked us out," Delhaute said. "We collected a lot of old frames that way and (the Lions Club) distributes them all over the country.

"If someone has a good idea about where to put a box for collecting glasses, we are wide open for it."

The Lions Club also offers scholarships to area high school students. The money is given to teachers, who then decide who gets the scholarships, Delhaute said. "We never know."

Money also is set aside for senior citizens, for the Steamboat Springs Community Center, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts, Delhaute said.

-- To reach Autumn Phillips call 871-4210

or e-mail aphillips@steamboatpilot.com