November 21, 2024 • 12 mins
The Y-Men's Service Club of Marion is a wonderful group of amazing volunteers who support Marion by building wheelchair ramps and work to fund many other programs in the community, too. Their main fund raiser is their Christmas Tree Sale that begins on Friday, November 29, 2024 at 12 noon on the corner of Reed and East Church Streets, behind the Jer-Zee. Member Marshall Cunningham joined the show to talk about the sale and thier incredible organization.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Marshall. Cunningham is joining us on the phone today.
Marshall is with the y Men Service Club and they
are getting ready for their annual Christmas tree sale. It
gets started on Friday at noon. Marshall, welcome to the show.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Well, thank you so much Paul for calling. It is
always a thrill to be on your podcast. WMRN has
been a great supporter of our organization and getting the
word out on what we offer to the community of Marion,
(00:36):
and in particular our annual Christmas tree drive.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Yeah, it is my pleasure to have you on the show,
as we have for a number of years. It really
is a way for a lot of people here in
this area to know that the Christmas season is here
when that tree lot goes up over on the corner
of Reed in East Church Street behind the Jersey. It
is an annual tradition and that has gone on for
(01:01):
decades and decades. And first of all, let's talk a
little bit about the live Christmas tree lot that you
guys are running again. Tell everybody what trees you have,
how much all that stuff?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Marshall, Okay, Well, of course, this year, as in past years.
We are bringing in all balsam Christmas trees that are
fresh cut up in Nova Scotia, Canada, and they'll be
broad in. Will have almost four hundred trees brought in
(01:36):
for our sale. The prices range from twenty dollars for
a little short what we call a tabletopper tree three
maybe four feet but usually about two and a half
to three feet tall. Then we have a medium density
(01:58):
balsam tree those are six to eight feet tall. Those
are going for fifty five dollars. And then we have
heavy density balsam trees same six to eight foot tall.
Those are sixty dollars a piece. And then we'll have
a few tall trees ten to twelve feet tall and
(02:22):
those are seventy five dollars a piece. Those go fast.
There are a select number of our repeat customers that
depend on those tall trees for their homes.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Well, if you have a beautiful old home, oh my gosh,
it just we We had a tree at one time
that touched the ceiling and we did it for a
few years. But it's a lot of work to get
it decorated and everything. Because we have those large ceilings
in our one hundred and twenty year old house as well,
So I get it. It's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
It reminds me of the it reminds you of this
scene from Elf in the movie where you're trying to
jam the tall tree into their apartment. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Absolutely, absolutely, So the lot will be open on Friday,
beginning at noon. Talk about the days you're open, in
the hours, and the fact that people need to get
to them, like you said, quickly, because they go fast.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Oh, that's that's true. Black Friday, November twenty ninth, we
will be open from twelve noon until seven o'clock, and
then the following Saturday, the thirtieth, and then December first,
Sunday again twelve to seven. Then moving forward during the
(03:41):
work week Monday to Friday, will be open from four
in the afternoon until seven o'clock every Monday through Friday.
After that, weekends twelve to seven. Weekdays four to seven.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
There you go until they're all sold out, which in
the last few years is been pretty quick, hasn't it.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It surprised us a few years ago. It was probably
twenty twenty one, in the middle of COVID when people
were just itching to get outdoors and re established new
traditions and putting aside the box of artificial trees, and
(04:25):
they wanted to get a real tree, and we sold
out quickly that year and every year since because we've
developed a following of Marian citizens and of course many
people from out of town who know that these prices
are right and that the profits from this go right
(04:52):
back into the city of Marion.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
And that's what we want to talk about. Because the
Wyman's Service Club has been around, it's got to be
one of the oldest clubs in the entire county, maybe
in the state of Ohio. The club has been around
for decades upon decades and has done wonderful things. People
talk about their traditions of the y Men's Club back
when they did the Fourth of July festivities and all
(05:17):
of that kind of stuff. But let's talk about the
money for the trees. It goes directly into your services.
And one of the biggest things you guys do is
you build wheelchair ramps for people, and you are building
them from scratch. It's amazing. Talk about this.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Well, you know, Paul, one of these days you're going
to have to come out to one of our builds, yeah,
and do a remote because it is a sight to see.
You know, Paul, I work, I'm still employed, and I
take a vacation day once one Thursday a month, June,
(05:53):
July and August. Well, these are retired gentlemen that are
members of our club. Every Thursday from May until September
build a wheelchair ramp. And we are building ramps for
folks who qualify that otherwise would not be able to
afford a ramp. And these guys, I guess I could
(06:19):
say we, but what I do is what I do
is hand them tools and hand them would and stay
out of the way because it literally is a machine
to watch these ramps go up from from a pile
of lumber and gets dumped off in front of the
house to within four hours a completed ramp. And I
(06:44):
tell you, Paul, there is nothing better, there's no better
feeling than to meet with some of these residents who
are in some cases literally trapped in their home that
because they have not been able to get out. And
(07:04):
it's almost like a new lease on life.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Freedom, absolutely freedom.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Yeah, And I experienced that three times during the summer.
These gentlemen experience it every week and it keeps us
motivated to continue to serve the citizens of Marian as
well as other nonprofit organizations within the City of Marion.
(07:34):
We have established a program where we will make substantial
financial donations to many local nonprofits and charities. And it,
as I say, the money you spend on these Christmas
trees just simply recycles right back into our community.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
It's amazing and you have an amazing organization and everything
that you do. Talk a little bit about the partnership
that you have with Downtown Marion, inc. And some of
your trees are going to be featured right in the
middle of Downtown Mary. Talk about that.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Well, this was a surprise for us. We were approached
by representatives from Downtown Marion Incorporated that promote Downtown Marion
and the businesses and the signage that we now see
and the improvements that have been going on downtown. They
(08:34):
approached us with this concept of purchasing eighteen Christmas trees.
Now they weren't they didn't have the budget to spend
sixty dollars a tree, but they were willing to purchase
eighteen trees at a discount, and we took it upon
(08:54):
ourselves to simply say, we'll just donate the trees. Sure,
this is again one of our contributions to the city
of Marion, and we uh we agreed as a group
to donate these trees. And then once there's set up
from I believe from State Street all the way down
(09:16):
to UH to the Palace Theater lining West Center Street,
they will be set up and decorated by other organizations,
schools and other businesses that will take upon themselves to
adopt those trees and have them decorated. I think so
(09:37):
we are. We were very surprised and proud to be
a part of this effort.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Guys, if you want, if you want more details on
the Wyman Service Club, it is easy to get. Just
pop on Facebook do a search for the Wyman Service Club.
Not only will you see all of the pictures and
galleries of this wonderful deal they do with the ramps
and everything like that, also the details of the tree sale, which,
like I said, begins on Friday twelve noon. The lot
(10:07):
is that read in East Church Street, right behind the Jersey.
It's been there for a long, long long time, and
all of that money stays right here in the Marian
area and just some beautiful Christmas trees. You guys take
so much pride in your work, Marshal. That's that's what
makes it the best. I mean, obviously helping everybody in
the community, keeping all the money here, you know, volunteer organization,
(10:29):
but you guys, just you really demonstrate what it is
to work hard, and I think that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Well, thank you, thank you for saying that, Paul. I
just want to make sure that folks understand that, you know,
we offer a service to the citizens of Marion, but
we also offer that same service and care in selling
our trees. Yeah, because when you pull up, we get
a lot of first timers that have never had a
(10:56):
live tree, and they they're not really quite sure what's
going to happen or how do it or care for it.
And we will greet the people, walk through the many
trustles of trees and the rows and rows of trees.
Will open one up, stand it up, spin it around,
put it back, go to the next tree, spin it around,
(11:20):
find another tree, until they finally choose the perfect tree
for their home, take it back, get it paid for,
trim it off at the bottom, load it on their
car or in their truck, and see them on their way.
It's what we try to encourage repeat business so that
(11:42):
it becomes kind of a family event. And there's nothing
better than when families come in and they're all spinning around,
the kids are having a great time running around, and
then we get a family picture everyone together at the
tree lot. It's a wonderful experience. Wow.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
And you can experience that for yourself at the YMN
Service Club tree Lot, Reed and East Church Street, right
behind the Jersey opening Friday at twelve noon. And I
do want to let you know cash or check only
is how you pay for these trees, so make sure
that you're prepare for that. And just Marshall Cunningham, thank
you so much, my friend. I always appreciate chatting with
(12:24):
you about the wonderful work that you guys do.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Thank you, Paul, thank you. It's a privilege to be
on WMRIN. And Merry Christmas.
Good morning, Marshall. Cunningham is joining us on the phone today.
Marshall is with the y Men Service Club and they
are getting ready for their annual Christmas tree sale. It
gets started on Friday at noon. Marshall, welcome to the show.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Well, thank you so much Paul for calling. It is
always a thrill to be on your podcast. WMRN has
been a great supporter of our organization and getting the
word out on what we offer to the community of Marion,
(00:36):
and in particular our annual Christmas tree drive.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Yeah, it is my pleasure to have you on the show,
as we have for a number of years. It really
is a way for a lot of people here in
this area to know that the Christmas season is here
when that tree lot goes up over on the corner
of Reed in East Church Street behind the Jersey. It
is an annual tradition and that has gone on for
(01:01):
decades and decades. And first of all, let's talk a
little bit about the live Christmas tree lot that you
guys are running again. Tell everybody what trees you have,
how much all that stuff?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Marshall, Okay, Well, of course, this year, as in past years.
We are bringing in all balsam Christmas trees that are
fresh cut up in Nova Scotia, Canada, and they'll be
broad in. Will have almost four hundred trees brought in
(01:36):
for our sale. The prices range from twenty dollars for
a little short what we call a tabletopper tree three
maybe four feet but usually about two and a half
to three feet tall. Then we have a medium density
(01:58):
balsam tree those are six to eight feet tall. Those
are going for fifty five dollars. And then we have
heavy density balsam trees same six to eight foot tall.
Those are sixty dollars a piece. And then we'll have
a few tall trees ten to twelve feet tall and
(02:22):
those are seventy five dollars a piece. Those go fast.
There are a select number of our repeat customers that
depend on those tall trees for their homes.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Well, if you have a beautiful old home, oh my gosh,
it just we We had a tree at one time
that touched the ceiling and we did it for a
few years. But it's a lot of work to get
it decorated and everything. Because we have those large ceilings
in our one hundred and twenty year old house as well,
So I get it. It's wonderful.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
It reminds me of the it reminds you of this
scene from Elf in the movie where you're trying to
jam the tall tree into their apartment. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Absolutely, absolutely, So the lot will be open on Friday,
beginning at noon. Talk about the days you're open, in
the hours, and the fact that people need to get
to them, like you said, quickly, because they go fast.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Oh, that's that's true. Black Friday, November twenty ninth, we
will be open from twelve noon until seven o'clock, and
then the following Saturday, the thirtieth, and then December first,
Sunday again twelve to seven. Then moving forward during the
(03:41):
work week Monday to Friday, will be open from four
in the afternoon until seven o'clock every Monday through Friday.
After that, weekends twelve to seven. Weekdays four to seven.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
There you go until they're all sold out, which in
the last few years is been pretty quick, hasn't it.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It surprised us a few years ago. It was probably
twenty twenty one, in the middle of COVID when people
were just itching to get outdoors and re established new
traditions and putting aside the box of artificial trees, and
(04:25):
they wanted to get a real tree, and we sold
out quickly that year and every year since because we've
developed a following of Marian citizens and of course many
people from out of town who know that these prices
are right and that the profits from this go right
(04:52):
back into the city of Marion.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
And that's what we want to talk about. Because the
Wyman's Service Club has been around, it's got to be
one of the oldest clubs in the entire county, maybe
in the state of Ohio. The club has been around
for decades upon decades and has done wonderful things. People
talk about their traditions of the y Men's Club back
when they did the Fourth of July festivities and all
(05:17):
of that kind of stuff. But let's talk about the
money for the trees. It goes directly into your services.
And one of the biggest things you guys do is
you build wheelchair ramps for people, and you are building
them from scratch. It's amazing. Talk about this.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Well, you know, Paul, one of these days you're going
to have to come out to one of our builds, yeah,
and do a remote because it is a sight to see.
You know, Paul, I work, I'm still employed, and I
take a vacation day once one Thursday a month, June,
(05:53):
July and August. Well, these are retired gentlemen that are
members of our club. Every Thursday from May until September
build a wheelchair ramp. And we are building ramps for
folks who qualify that otherwise would not be able to
afford a ramp. And these guys, I guess I could
(06:19):
say we, but what I do is what I do
is hand them tools and hand them would and stay
out of the way because it literally is a machine
to watch these ramps go up from from a pile
of lumber and gets dumped off in front of the
house to within four hours a completed ramp. And I
(06:44):
tell you, Paul, there is nothing better, there's no better
feeling than to meet with some of these residents who
are in some cases literally trapped in their home that
because they have not been able to get out. And
(07:04):
it's almost like a new lease on life.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Freedom, absolutely freedom.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Yeah, And I experienced that three times during the summer.
These gentlemen experience it every week and it keeps us
motivated to continue to serve the citizens of Marian as
well as other nonprofit organizations within the City of Marion.
(07:34):
We have established a program where we will make substantial
financial donations to many local nonprofits and charities. And it,
as I say, the money you spend on these Christmas
trees just simply recycles right back into our community.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
It's amazing and you have an amazing organization and everything
that you do. Talk a little bit about the partnership
that you have with Downtown Marion, inc. And some of
your trees are going to be featured right in the
middle of Downtown Mary. Talk about that.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Well, this was a surprise for us. We were approached
by representatives from Downtown Marion Incorporated that promote Downtown Marion
and the businesses and the signage that we now see
and the improvements that have been going on downtown. They
(08:34):
approached us with this concept of purchasing eighteen Christmas trees.
Now they weren't they didn't have the budget to spend
sixty dollars a tree, but they were willing to purchase
eighteen trees at a discount, and we took it upon
(08:54):
ourselves to simply say, we'll just donate the trees. Sure,
this is again one of our contributions to the city
of Marion, and we uh we agreed as a group
to donate these trees. And then once there's set up
from I believe from State Street all the way down
(09:16):
to UH to the Palace Theater lining West Center Street,
they will be set up and decorated by other organizations,
schools and other businesses that will take upon themselves to
adopt those trees and have them decorated. I think so
(09:37):
we are. We were very surprised and proud to be
a part of this effort.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Guys, if you want, if you want more details on
the Wyman Service Club, it is easy to get. Just
pop on Facebook do a search for the Wyman Service Club.
Not only will you see all of the pictures and
galleries of this wonderful deal they do with the ramps
and everything like that, also the details of the tree sale, which,
like I said, begins on Friday twelve noon. The lot
(10:07):
is that read in East Church Street, right behind the Jersey.
It's been there for a long, long long time, and
all of that money stays right here in the Marian
area and just some beautiful Christmas trees. You guys take
so much pride in your work, Marshal. That's that's what
makes it the best. I mean, obviously helping everybody in
the community, keeping all the money here, you know, volunteer organization,
(10:29):
but you guys, just you really demonstrate what it is
to work hard, and I think that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Well, thank you, thank you for saying that, Paul. I
just want to make sure that folks understand that, you know,
we offer a service to the citizens of Marion, but
we also offer that same service and care in selling
our trees. Yeah, because when you pull up, we get
a lot of first timers that have never had a
(10:56):
live tree, and they they're not really quite sure what's
going to happen or how do it or care for it.
And we will greet the people, walk through the many
trustles of trees and the rows and rows of trees.
Will open one up, stand it up, spin it around,
put it back, go to the next tree, spin it around,
(11:20):
find another tree, until they finally choose the perfect tree
for their home, take it back, get it paid for,
trim it off at the bottom, load it on their
car or in their truck, and see them on their way.
It's what we try to encourage repeat business so that
(11:42):
it becomes kind of a family event. And there's nothing
better than when families come in and they're all spinning around,
the kids are having a great time running around, and
then we get a family picture everyone together at the
tree lot. It's a wonderful experience. Wow.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
And you can experience that for yourself at the YMN
Service Club tree Lot, Reed and East Church Street, right
behind the Jersey opening Friday at twelve noon. And I
do want to let you know cash or check only
is how you pay for these trees, so make sure
that you're prepare for that. And just Marshall Cunningham, thank
you so much, my friend. I always appreciate chatting with
(12:24):
you about the wonderful work that you guys do.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Thank you, Paul, thank you. It's a privilege to be
on WMRIN. And Merry Christmas.
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