Christmas tree pick-up set for Jan. 11

With the holiday season slowly winding down, the Fort Frances Fire Brigade wants local residents to know they’re once again going to be picking up Christmas trees.
“We take the Ukrainian Christmas into account, which I think is on Jan. 6 and 7, so we’ll be doing the pickup on the 11th,” said firefighter Joe Bobczynski, who’s organized the pickup for the past several years.
The tree pick-up—a tradition started here by the now-defunct Jaycees years ago—is not only a community service of sorts, but also a fire safety measure, noted Bobczynski.
While members of the Fort Frances Fire Brigade actually do the pick-up, which will start around 2 p.m. on Jan. 11, a number of local businesses lend trucks, trailers, and other equipment to make the transportation and destruction of the trees possible.
Most of the trees are shredded and taken to the landfill, but in the past, some have been brought to the airport and Rusty Myers Flying Service to use to mark runways in the winter.
Bobczynski urged residents to make sure your trees are easily identifiable. If they are wrapped in plastic, for instance, make sure you rip part of the covering open so the tree inside can be seen.
In the case of any heavy snowfall, make sure the tree is at least partially visible in the snow bank.
And most importantly, said Bobczynski, is to lay your tree on its side on the boulevard, not upright.
“The reason for this so we don’t mistake the Christmas tree for a real tree. It has happened back when the Jaycees were doing it, and they ended up having to replace a tree,” he noted.
Once again, residents who have their trees picked up are encouraged to give a donation to the fire department, either by giving it to firefighters doing the collecting, leaving it in their mail box, or dropping it off at the fire hall.
In 2000, the firefighters donated about $1,000 to the Riverside Foundation for Health Care’s “Care Close to Home” campaign. Last year, they collected about $850 for the “RiskWatch” program.
“RiskWatch” or a similar safety program likely will be the recipients of any proceeds again this year, said Bobczynski.
If you have any more questions about the Christmas tree pick-up, call the fire department at 274-9841.
 In other news, the Fort Frances Fire Department reported no serious fire-related incidents over the weekend.