NEWS RELEASE
LIVING GREEN BARRIE
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Living Green (LG) has discovered yet another reason to shop local this holiday season; local businesses are there to help!
For the past few years, LG has offered variations of their Christmas tree sale as a fundraiser to help the environmental charity plant more trees for climate action in and around Barrie. This year, LG is once again selling live, potted white spruce and white pine trees. However, securing a selling location was tough, until local businesses stepped up.
Living Green does not currently occupy a physical space so having a sale requires either delivery or the use of another space. With only two part-time staff members, deliveries of potted trees across Simcoe County were just not feasible again. After being shut out by the bigger box stores, the charity reached out to some of their favourite local stores to see if they would sell the trees this year. Luckily for LG, a few fantastic local businesses jumped on board right away.
Sojourn Outdoors, Nicholyn Farms, and Surf and Turf (located near Collingwood) are now all selling LG’s live, potted trees and giving 100% of the proceeds back to the charity’s tree planting program. LG’s Project Director Sarah Herr says, “We are so grateful to these local businesses that have offered their generosity and support.”
Living Green is completely reliant on donations, sponsorships, grants, and fundraisers like this to offer environmental programs to Barrie and the surrounding area.
Unlike large cut trees, the live potted trees are smaller and are intended for beautiful porch decorations all winter. They can be enjoyed indoors for up to one week and then planted in the spring in your yard or at an LG community tree planting event.
If you like spending time outside, you will have heard of Sojourn as they have been providing outdoor enthusiasts with quality outdoor gear for over 30 years. Nicholyn Farms, located just outside of Barrie is another local business that has been operating in the community for years. This family-run business sells organic and sustainable foods and is a favourite of many locals. When Blue Mountain business Surf and Turf, a farm market and butcher shop heard that LG needed help, they were also quick to lend their space. LG’s live potted trees are available for $50 each at all three of these locations.
Why shop local this holiday season? Not only does shopping local keep money circulating in our community, it often provides better customer service and it can reduce your carbon footprint. If you are choosing online rushed deliveries and not bundling your purchases, carbon emissions are higher in comparison to in-store shopping. Stop in and check out these local businesses who are truly walking the walk when it comes to doing good in our community. Sojourn is located at 31 Commerce Dr. Barrie, Nicholyn Farms is located at 3088 Horseshoe Valley Rd. W. Phelpston, and Surf & Turf is located at 209574 Highway 26, The Blue Mountains.
Living Green is also encouraging supporters to “give the gift of trees”. A $40 donation will get one urban tree planted in Barrie (and area) and an e-certificate is provided after the donation is complete to give as a gift to a special someone to recognize this gift. If you would like to support Living Green’s goal of planting 10,000 trees for Barrie, please consider making a donation (link to donate: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/55622 to receive a charitable tax receipt before the end of the year. Let’s keep it local and green for the holidays.
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