Yellowknife Scouts will open up their annual Christmas tree fundraiser on Thursday after the CN Rail strike reportedly delayed the arrival of the trees.
Trees ranging in height from five to 16 feet will be available in the Co-op parking lot from 6pm till 8pm during weekdays or 10am till 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, the group said in a Facebook post.
Prices range from $85 to $350 depending on tree size and type. Last year, the fundraiser was a hit amid rumours of a wider Christmas tree shortage.
This year, the shortage may have come and gone. The trees took their time arriving as they were held up by the rail strike taking place farther south, scout commissioner Mike Kalnay told NNSL.
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Kalnay said the trees’ southern distributor – they come from northern Saskatchewan each year – “somehow managed to marshal up 100 trucks on the eve of the strike” to get loads slowly moving again. (A tentative deal to end the strike was reached on Tuesday.)
Yellowknife’s trees are now due to arrive on Wednesday with sales beginning on Thursday, several days later than originally planned, the scouts said.
The fundraiser brings in around $10,000 each year for the scouts, Kalnay told the newspaper.
This year, the scouts have teamed up with the Yellowknife Association for Community Living.
The association’s Odd Job Squad – underemployed Yellowknife residents who have a disability – will both bring your tree home for you and then pick it up for disposal in January, for the all-in fee of $15.
