GREENSBORO, N.C. — As the most wonderful time of year approaches, the season won't be so merry and bright for some of our neighbors in western North Carolina, especially Christmas tree farmers.
WFMY News 2's Nixon Norman met a farmer from Avery County dealing with Helene impacts and a woman in Greensboro just looking to help.
Tiffany McDaniel of Greensboro said it's easy to see the beauty in things during the holiday season, "when you pick a tree, when you go to a lot, when you go to a farm and cut one… you want the perfect tree," she said.
That annual tradition is bringing a lot of heartache this year for Wighstall Avery, a Christmas tree farmer in western North Carolina. Helene destroyed his family's Christmas tree farm.
"What we want people to do is buy a real Christmas tree and buy it from people in western North Carolina cause they [fellow Christmas tree farmers] need it," Avery said.
Avery and his wife Dawn said the storm damaged about 60,000 of their trees. Making things even worse, Christmas trees can take up to a decade to grow full size.
"Basically, you had a 9-foot tree and now you've got a 3-foot tree and that's what you got. You went from an $80 tree to a $25 dollar tree," Avery said. "You know, you saw ten years of your life go down the tubes, and there’s nothing you can do. I mean, Mother Nature took it and so, the Good Lord gives it to us, he takes it away.
McDaniel is originally from Boone. After the storm, she said she couldn't just stand by and do nothing, "their homes are damaged, their property is damaged, they're dealing with hardships that we can even imagine," she said.
That's why she and Oak Ridge Methodist Church teamed up to sell the Avery's trees here in the Triad.
Pastor Mike Carr said when church members brought the idea to his attention, his immediate answer was yes, "we are grateful to be a part of something bigger than ourselves," he said.
The Avery's said every single bit of help makes a difference. McDaniel said that's all she wants for Christmas, to help be a bright light for these Christmas tree farmers.
"Put this tree in your house that just doesn't look as beautiful… but what a good way to remember the hardships that they're all still going through," McDaniel said.
Oak Ridge Methodist will start selling the imperfect trees the day after Thanksgiving starting at 8:00 a.m. until they sell out.