1,500 northern Michigan trees prepare for departure to Chicago

CHEBOYGAN -- The United States Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw will soon be taking on a new name: The Christmas Tree Ship.

The crew of the cutter spent much of Tuesday morning at the vessel's home port in Cheboygan loading nearly 1,500 Christmas trees. Their final destination is Chicago, Illinois, where they'll be distributed to families in need.

"We do the ship all up with the lights and we put a wreath on there, carolers, there's a helicopter fly over for a ceremony, it's going to be a big deal," said Alex Gebhart, a junior officer aboard the USCGC Mackinaw.

It's a tradition that first started in the late 1800's aboard the Rouse Simmons. It carried on the annual practice for 30 years until it sank in 1912. Today, the tradition is carried on by the crew of the cutter Mackinaw.

The trees aboard were all grown in northern Michigan and are purchased by Chicago's Christmas Ship Committee. The trip will coincide with the cutter's buoy retrieval mission.

"We'll be taking off on Monday morning, the 30th, we'll spend 2 or 3 days heading down to Chicago picking up as many buoys as possible, we'll drop them off in Burns Harbor, show up in Chicago for the ceremonies and when we leave we'll be picking up anything we miss on the way down," Gebhart said.

During Tuesday's loading, the crew of the Mackinaw receive a bit of help from students from the Junior Navy ROTC program from Ogemaw Heights High School.

"It is a lot of work, but with a lot more people it goes by a lot faster," said Laura Tolfree, a senior at OHHS. "Lots of team work."

"I think it helps them understand the military humanitarian effort that we do," said Donald Croff, the supervisor of the JNROTC program at OHHS. "I think the kids understand that a little bit better with this kind of activity."

THE USCG Cutter Mackinaw is expected to arrive in Chicago by Friday, December 4.