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By MICHELLE LOVE | Staff Writer

HELENA – It just wouldn’t be the Christmas season without the Helena Boy Scouts setting up their Christmas tree lot. Boy Scout Troop 532 has been setting up shop outside Helena United Methodist Church for the past 10 years, selling various sized Christmas trees and fresh Fraser fir wreaths to citizens of Helena.

“We are usually open until the end of the 2nd week in December or until we sell out of trees,” said Scout mom Maggie Ciccazzo. “We are a local Boy Scout Troop in Helena that has been in existence for over 50 years. This is the main fundraiser we do to raise the money needed to operate the troop. We love our scouting program and believe that it offers so much to our local youth and community.”

“They really enjoy doing it,” said fellow Scout mom Wendy Vegter. “They usually don’t wear their uniforms because of the tree sap, but they’re out here representing the Troop and they work so hard.”

Upon arriving to the lot, it’s clear the boys take pride in what they do. They not only help load the tree onto your car, they also offer delivery services if for whatever reason you cannot take the tree with you when you leave the lot.  Ciccazzo said the boys also water the trees and mist the wreaths every day to make sure they’re fresh for their new owners.

“They also do a fresh cut on them before we load onto the customers car,” she said.

This year, there was a considerable shortage of Christmas trees throughout the United States due to the climate crisis and the supply chain shortage. The Troop decided to stick with their traditional prices so everyone can afford the perfect tree.

“A lot of places chose to up their prices just because there was such a big shortage, but we decided we’ve always kept these prices and we really shouldn’t change that,” Ciccazzo said.

Tree prices vary by size: 6-7 feet tall trees are $75; 7-8 feet are $85; and  8-9 feet are $95. Fir wreaths are 22 inches and cost $25. The lot is open Monday through Friday from 4:30-8 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sundays 12-8 p.m.  Trees and wreaths are available until they run out. The best way to keep track is by visiting the BSA Troop 532 Christmas Tree Lot Facebook page.