Fresh Trees, Fresh Start: How Your Christmas Tree Supports Year-Round Service

The smell of pine isn't native to American Samoa, but for nearly 20 years Rotary Club of Pago Pago has made it a holiday tradition.

Picking out the perfect tree is a holiday tradition for the Hudson family.

The first week of December marks the final days of the club's annual Christmas Tree Sale. By Saturday, over 400 trees and wreaths will be proudly displayed in homes and businesses across the territory. However, getting a fresh-cut evergreen from a tree farm in the mainland to a living room on Tutuila takes more than a sprinkle of holiday spirit.

It takes months of advance planning, 2-3 weeks of ocean shipping courtesy of Swire Shipping, transport from the dock by Peter E. Reid Stevedoring, careful inspection by ASG Dept. of Agriculture and ASCC-ACNR Land Grant Division staff to keep invasive insects out of the territory, a free place at Tool Shop to stage the two refrigerated containers which keep the trees fresh in tropical heat. And let's not forget ASPA who donated the power to keep those reefers at sub-zero!

Open one of those refrigerated containers and you get an icy blast that makes you forget you're standing in a tropical parking lot. Close it again and your hands are sticky with pine sap, the scent clinging to your clothes for the rest of the day.

Margie and Billy with another happy customer!

It also takes Rotarians like Margie Tafiti, staffing the Tree Tent at Tool Shop Tafuna’s parking lot from early morning to late afternoon six days a week.

“I love supporting this community. I love the looks on everyone’s faces when they come to pick out their very own Christmas tree,” Tafiti said, in between helping customers.

It’s a dance: some volunteers haul trees in and out of the reefer for inspection, others work the sales table, a few greet customers with laughter, while friends drop by with drinks or food before heading off to the rest of their day. Half assembly line, half family reunion. All fun.

“What I particularly enjoy,” Tafiti added, “is not just getting everyone together to work, but getting everyone to work together.”

Strapping down a tree for the ride home!

That coordination includes Tool Shop staff processing payments, South Seas Broadcasting (93KHJ) providing media coverage, and a rotating crew of Rotarians and friends taking shifts distributing the trees.

The result? Every $90 tree sale stays local, funding projects that serve American Samoa year-round. Over two decades, Christmas tree proceeds have helped the club in a variety of projects like building Pala Lagoon Swimming Center, ongoing projects for Hope House, installing Emergency Hygiene cabinets at every public and private high school, and supply hardbound illustrated dictionaries to every third grader on the island annually.

The Tree Tent is open Monday through Friday, 9am to 4:30pm, and Saturday 8am to 2pm at Tool Shop in Tafuna. This is your last week to get a tree.