The Boy Scouts of Kennett Square Troop 53 are celebrating another successful year of selling Christmas trees.

Their annual December sale is the one fundraiser they have each year and, when successful, it provides an income of about $10,000. Those funds go toward lessening the costs of the activities they carry on monthly throughout the year, Scout Leader Greg Bullock said.

Bullock, who said he has been with the troop and its sale for seven years, said he cannot recall ever having had a bad year due to weather or other causes under his leadership.

“The only year I remember that it was slow, it was because almost everybody was selling trees in town,” he said.

The trees go up for sale around the beginning of December. The lot is staffed by the scouts, and the hours are suited to accommodate their school hours.

Bullock said those who participate in the selling can build up hours for credit toward activities as well.

This year the troop received 450 trees from a grower in Gettysburg. By the second week of December this year, they were almost sold out

Troop member parent Jeffra Leo, who is known among the troop as “the Tree Baron,” said most of the customers come looking for trees between 6 and 7 feet. The prices are based upon the height, which is measured at checkout.

The troop has activities – many of them camping – every month. The proceeds of the tree sale offset but don’t completely cover the costs.

One of the favorite trips Bullock said, is to Sea Base in Florida. It is described on its website as a “unique Scouting program that offers aquatics programs found nowhere else.”

They also camp routinely at Camp Horseshoe and other nearby campsites, members said.

The members participate in community service projects throughout the year as well. One of the most recent was offering the color guard for the Veterans Day Breakfast at the Kennett Square VFW headquarters. 

Bullock said the troop, which has 20 members, is well grounded in the area and will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2025.