Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association Presents
Three Awards at Annual Meeting
HARRISBURG , PA- The Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association (PCTGA) presented three awards during their annual meeting recently held in Indiana County at Flemings Christmas Tree Farm. The Pennsylvania State Award was presented to Rayanne Lehman, an employee of the PA Department of Agriculture; the Jim Spotts Memorial Service Award was presented to Ellis Schmidt of Landenberg; and the Honorary Membership Award was bestowed upon Donald “Moose” Craul of Lewisburg.
The State Award is presented to individuals who have contributed substantially to the betterment of the association and industry. Lehman was awarded the honor because of her dedication to conifer research and the Christmas Tree Growers Association. Lehman has worked at the PA Department of Agriculture since 1969, barring a 6-year leave, and will be retiring later this year. When not spending time with her family, Lehman volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America.
The Jim Spotts Memorial Service Award is awarded to an individual who has dedicated their time freely and without reservation to the organization. Said President Mark McCurdy, “Ellis Schmidt embodies each of these characteristics. He's given of himself and his time to the PCTGA since 1972. He has served as a director since 1986, and was president from 1988 until 1992. We are very pleased to be able to thank Ellis in this manner.”
In 1993, Schmidt became Pennsylvania 's representative to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) Board of Directors. From 1997 to 2001 he served on the Executive Committee as Vice President. He remains in this position until December 2005. Schmidt also contributed to PCTGA by developing the original website and maintaining it for the first three years of its existence. Ellis and Joan Schmidt planted their first Christmas trees in 1970 and operate a family owned Choose & Cut Christmas tree farm in Landenberg , PA.
Donald “Moose” Craul has been bestowed the PCTGA Honorary Membership Award. His tireless dedication to the association includes many years spent on the legislative front pushing for funding for the industry, as well as sitting on the Ag Council board at Penn State , working on the Penn-TIP program, and writing a regular featured article entitled “Moose Notes” for the PCTGA Bulletin. For many years, Craul worked diligently to encourage the industry to pass a resolution, which would allow for funding of marketing and research of Christmas trees in the Commonwealth. Craul is owner of Maple Hill Farms in Lewisburg and has been chosen time and again to supply Christmas trees for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and many public spaces during the season.
The awards were presented during the PCTGA's Summer Meeting in Indiana , Pennsylvania . The meeting was a success with many informative speakers and a wide range of vendors. Fleming's Christmas Tree Farm hosted this year's event with a large audience of Christmas tree growers. The 2006 Winter Meeting will be held January 19 th and 20 th at the Holiday Inn in Grantville , PA.
The Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association (PCTGA), with over 300 members, works to promote and develop a community of interest among growers of Christmas trees in Pennsylvania and adjoining states, as well as to raise public awareness about Christmas trees. PCTGA belongs to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), an association with more than 5,100 professionals. Pennsylvania has the largest number of Christmas tree growers of any state and is ranked fourth nationally in Christmas tree production according to USDA. To find a Christmas tree grower near you, and for more information from the Pennsylvania Christmas tree association, visit www.christmastrees.org .
