San Rafael resident Mamie Air, hunting for a holiday tree on Friday, was one of many locals who found a gem at San Rafael High School.
“We come every year to support the high school,” said Air, who shopped with her two children. “We live just down the street, and it’s money for a good cause.”
The school’s annual tree lot, which opened Friday, is a fundraiser organized by the parent-teacher association. Jen Chandler, one of the organizers, said the tree lot is a community gathering spot.
“Teenagers want to be out doing their own thing on the weekends, but during tree lot, they’re here with their parents,” Chandler said. “We have so many moms and dads here with their students, so it’s really a very family-oriented thing.”
Chandler said the event, the association’s biggest fundraiser of the year, has a profit target of $100,000. She said the lot has more large trees this year that will help in reaching the goal.
This year’s supply includes 1,350 Douglas, noble and Nordmann fir trees ranging from 5 feet tall to more than 10 feet. They are shipped from KLM Tree Farm in Washington state.
“We’ve been ordering from them, I want to say, for decades because their trees are the best, they last the longest,” Chandler said.
Air said the trees are always fresh.
“They keep their needles for pretty much the whole season,” Air said. “They get better each year.”
The revenue will benefit the sports teams, various clubs, class funds and other programs at the school. Proceeds are divided based on the number of hours worked by each group’s volunteers.
Around 300 volunteers signed up for shifts, Chandler said.
“It’s really neat because these kids are also helping to give back to their school because the money that comes in, they get to have a hand in where it goes, so I think it’s really special, ” Chandler said.
Sophomore Cash McCall signed up for six shifts, each about three and half hours, to raise money for his activities. McCall, who is in the sailing class, was tasked with tying trees securely to customers’ vehicles. Chandler sailing students were assigned to tying the trees down because they know the appropriate knots to use.
“It’s fun to be out here, supporting everyone,” McCall said. “I wanted to support water polo, sailing and swim.”
The event has been around for about 40 to 50 years, and many graduates come to their lot for their trees.
“It’s really sweet that they’re all still coming here, buying their trees and telling their stories,” Chandler said.
The lot is open from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6; 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 and Dec. 8; 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13; and 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.
