Nearly 70 years ago, the Belmont Lions Club sold its first Christmas tree.
“Back then … a few of the fellas drove down to Haymarket in Boston with a pickup truck, got Christmas trees and brought them to Belmont Center and sold them,” said Ken Krilla, first vice president of the local Lions chapter.
Since then, the club has coordinated with the same tree farm, located in Nova Scotia.
“They’ve been wonderful to us,” he said.
This year, the sale will take place in front of the Lions’ Clubhouse at 1 Common St. from Nov. 29 to Dec. 24. Weekday hours are still to be determined, but weekend hours are set at 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Customers are encouraged to check belmontlions.org for the most up-to-date information.
Four different teams of 8 to 10 volunteers will cover the sales, explained Krilla. The club also hopes to — as it usually does — engage the local youth to help with sales during the day.
The club charges between $25 and $100 for trees, according to Krilla. Prices depend on size and whether it’s a sheared tree.
“They’re beautiful trees, stunningly beautiful trees,” he said.
Wreaths arrived earlier than usual this year, allowing time for members to decorate them for the first day of sales.
A majority of the money collected benefits the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund, which was established in the 1950s and has raised $40 million since. At the time, the fundraising benefited the research that discovered the cause of blindness in premature babies.
In addition to the wreath and tree sales, the club has a “tip jar,” which raises money for lesser-known organizations or causes in the community or region.
Last year, the “Tip Jar” beneficiary was The Children’s Room, according to the club’s website. The Children’s Room offers grief support services for children and families, for schools, and for community organizations.
“We’re not trying to cure cancer, we want to make a big splash in a small pond, not a small splash in a big pond,” Krilla said.