November 13, 2025 • 12 mins
The 72nd Annual Y-Men's Service Club of Marion Christmas Tree Sale begins at 12n on Friday, November 28, 2025, on the corner of East Church Street and Reed Avenue, on Marion's east side. Y-Men's member, Marshall Cunningham, joined the show to talk about the sale, why thru work so hard to raise funds and who benefits from your support of their tree sale.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining me on the phone today is Marshall Cunningham. Marshall
is with the Wyman Service Club here in Marion. They're
getting ready for their seventy second annual Christmas tree sale. Marshall,
welcome to the show. How you doing, my friend.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Great Paul.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
It's good to talk with you again once a year.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We need to do it more often, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Absolutely. Well, let's talk a little bit about the tree
sale that the Wymen are getting ready to do. Seventy
two years. This has gone on for as long as
I can remember on the corner of Church Street and
Reed Avenue, and you guys are set up and ready
to sell trees. Tell us about the sale.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Well, of course, our first day of sale is going
back Friday on and that would be on November twenty eighth,
and we'll be open on that on that Friday from
twelve noon until seven pm, and then we'll just continue
(01:04):
selling until they're all gone, which doesn't long, but maybe
in a couple of weeks we'll have them all passed
out and sold to the community. On weekdays, Monday Throday
we're open from four in the afternoon until seven o'clock,
(01:26):
and then on weekends Saturday and Sunday.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Will be open from noon until seven o'clock pm.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Okay, okay, And tell us about the trees that you have.
I know that you guys take a lot of pride
in having what you believe are the absolute best trees
that are possibly available, and you guys go to a
lot of lengths to make that happen. Talk about the
trees themselves.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Well, they're balsams, and we've got a great relationship with
a tree farm up in Novisko, Canada, and they have
been a stet of ours for many years and keeping
their prices right.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
So that even with the inflation that we've seen at
the grocery store and elsewhere, we've been able to hold
our prices this year. For the balsams, we have four different.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Categories of balsam trees. We'll start off with the tabletoppers,
or what affectionately known as Charlie Brown trees. Those are
about three feet tall, maybe forty inches tall, and those
are twenty dollars apiece.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
We actually increased the.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Number of table tops because they sold out so quickly
last year. Then we go to the medium balsam trees
and those are anywhere from six.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
To eight feet tall. Those are fifty five dollars apiece.
And then the heavy balsams, and that's those are where
they're really dense.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
They have a lot of heavy, thick branches and those
are sixty dollars.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
And then we.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Actually we even increase the quantity of our tall trees.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
We get in.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Balsams that are ten to twelve feet tall, and we've
got ten of those coming.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Those are seventy five dollars apiece.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
And we've got a pretty steady regular customers that search
out those tall trees for their homes. So we're looking
to have those trees delivered on the twenty third Sunday
(04:02):
or maybe Saturday the twenty second. We're not exactly sure
when that truck is going to roll in, but we'll
have those set up and we'll be ready for Black Friday.
With well over three hundred and fifty trees this year.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
It'll be amazing and folks will be able to shop
beginning at noon on the twenty eighth of November, that
is Black Friday. That's when the lot opens on the
corner of Church Street and Reed Avenue. And you guys
have done this for a long time. Seventy two years
in the making, but I and I think in the
last few years more people have begun to understand the
(04:42):
work of the y men and the work that your
service organization does. And obviously you guys. One of the
biggest things that you guys do is you build wheelchair
ramps for people in need around the area. And it's
just amazing because you are building them from the ground.
Talk about where that money.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Goes, Well, the money goes to purchasing the lumber and
the fasteners, screws, bolts, connectors, things like that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
That's where the money goes.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And some of these ramps can be a very simple
eight foot long ramp off of a shallow or short porch,
but other times they could be I don't know, twenty
twenty four feet long with that have to wind.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You know, they have landings.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
And then they turn and then they go the opposite direction,
and then they turn again in order to fit within a.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Small confined space.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
So those can range oh gosh, even up to seven
hundred and fifty maybe even one thousand dollars of lumber.
Of course, the labor's free, but that's where that's where
all of our proceeds go, and that is to purchase number.
But I should also point out that we try to
(06:14):
at least once a year, sometimes every other year, we
make significant donations to other local nonprofits in Marion. I
could list off ten to eleven, twelve different nonprofits, but
you know, we're talking about the Palace Theater, and the
(06:37):
Historical Society, and.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
The Homeless to Home Luke, three eleven ministries.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
The Peanut Butter Truck, which we hear so much about
these days. We keep our profits right here in Marion
and it makes a big difference for folks here in town.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
This year, you guys built twenty one ramps in about
what eight months, seven months, and it almost seems like
you're doing three or four a month for the months
that you're working. And you're busy, guys, because you know,
once again, we're not getting any younger. And that's just
a heck of a thing to do for people that
need them, that have mobility issues that you guys are
(07:24):
able to do that. And I know with that, not
only for the Christmas trees, but for the other work
that you do, you have a lot of huge community
support sponsors. Talk for a minute about those people.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Oh well, I could go on about the great support
that we get from the community. But let's just start
with the individuals, those small donations that just simply show
up in our mailbox from folks that hear about us,
(07:56):
know about us from our Facebook page.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
We do to people.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Who buy a Christmas tree for sixty dollars and give
us eighty dollars and they don't want any money back,
They don't want.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
The change back.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Just little small simple donations like that happen year after
year after year, and too numerous to list. And two
often anonymous that just simply continue.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
To come in.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
But our big supporters, of course come from the Marion
County Council on Aging. In the past we've received five
thousand dollars from them. Modern Woodman the fraternal organization. They
help sponsor four to five wheelchair ramps a year. Ohio
(08:54):
Health another great supplier or a supporter of ours.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Kroger grocery stores.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
They a portion of sales can can be redirected to
the wymen on your on your Kroger Shoppers card. We
have a big support from the Marion Community Foundation. They
(09:25):
they provide us with the donation and and the VFW,
the Stephen Cheney VFW where we meet twice a month,
the first and third Wednesday of every month at six o'clock,
and that's the VFW on Route four where the helicopter is.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
They're they're a great supporter.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
And I should also point out the American Legion Post
one sixty two, another supporter of ours. But one of
our best events and most fun event is our annual
golf outing. And you know, I I contacted our organizer
(10:16):
and I you know, I said to him, I said,
you know, do you want me to do some advertising
for this, maybe make some flyers or or you know,
notify the radio stations like I do for the tree sale.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
He said, no, that's okay.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
He said, We've got people that know when we're going
to do it, and they always come through for us.
And year after year that golf outing provides us with
thousands of dollars of support. So I just I just
wanted to point out the good things that are happening
(10:56):
in Marion, this supporting us and our mission, not only
building wheelchair ramps. And I'll tell you, Paul, there's nothing
quite like the moment when the ramp is finished and
the homeowner who has.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
In some cases almost been trapped in their.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
House it is able to roll out under their front
porch and down the ramp and it's almost almost a
new release on life. It is a rewarding experience for
all of us.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
It's why we keep doing what we do well.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
I'll tell you, folks, you need to find the Wyman
Service Club, Marion, Ohio on Facebook and see pictures and
stories from all of these builds that they chronicle as
they do it, which has become a huge, huge thing
for people to know what the why men do the
work that they do, the sponsors that help them out,
the you know obviously, the partners you have, and you
(12:04):
know this. It's unbelievable what you guys do. And they
can support it themselves by buying a Christmas tree making
a donation being part of the y Men's Christmas Tree sale.
The lot opens at noon on Friday, November twenty eighth
on the corner of Church Street and Reed Avenue where
they've been for decades, and you can stop buying support
(12:24):
them by buying a tree. Marshall, thank you so much
for the time. I always appreciate getting together with you
and chatting about the work that you guys do.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
You bet Paul, thank you so much to you and
WMRN and the continued interest and support of your radio station.
Joining me on the phone today is Marshall Cunningham. Marshall
is with the Wyman Service Club here in Marion. They're
getting ready for their seventy second annual Christmas tree sale. Marshall,
welcome to the show. How you doing, my friend.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Great Paul.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
It's good to talk with you again once a year.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We need to do it more often, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Absolutely. Well, let's talk a little bit about the tree
sale that the Wymen are getting ready to do. Seventy
two years. This has gone on for as long as
I can remember on the corner of Church Street and
Reed Avenue, and you guys are set up and ready
to sell trees. Tell us about the sale.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Well, of course, our first day of sale is going
back Friday on and that would be on November twenty eighth,
and we'll be open on that on that Friday from
twelve noon until seven pm, and then we'll just continue
(01:04):
selling until they're all gone, which doesn't long, but maybe
in a couple of weeks we'll have them all passed
out and sold to the community. On weekdays, Monday Throday
we're open from four in the afternoon until seven o'clock,
(01:26):
and then on weekends Saturday and Sunday.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Will be open from noon until seven o'clock pm.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Okay, okay, And tell us about the trees that you have.
I know that you guys take a lot of pride
in having what you believe are the absolute best trees
that are possibly available, and you guys go to a
lot of lengths to make that happen. Talk about the
trees themselves.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Well, they're balsams, and we've got a great relationship with
a tree farm up in Novisko, Canada, and they have
been a stet of ours for many years and keeping
their prices right.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
So that even with the inflation that we've seen at
the grocery store and elsewhere, we've been able to hold
our prices this year. For the balsams, we have four different.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Categories of balsam trees. We'll start off with the tabletoppers,
or what affectionately known as Charlie Brown trees. Those are
about three feet tall, maybe forty inches tall, and those
are twenty dollars apiece.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
We actually increased the.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Number of table tops because they sold out so quickly
last year. Then we go to the medium balsam trees
and those are anywhere from six.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
To eight feet tall. Those are fifty five dollars apiece.
And then the heavy balsams, and that's those are where
they're really dense.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
They have a lot of heavy, thick branches and those
are sixty dollars.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
And then we.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Actually we even increase the quantity of our tall trees.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
We get in.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Balsams that are ten to twelve feet tall, and we've
got ten of those coming.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Those are seventy five dollars apiece.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
And we've got a pretty steady regular customers that search
out those tall trees for their homes. So we're looking
to have those trees delivered on the twenty third Sunday
(04:02):
or maybe Saturday the twenty second. We're not exactly sure
when that truck is going to roll in, but we'll
have those set up and we'll be ready for Black Friday.
With well over three hundred and fifty trees this year.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
It'll be amazing and folks will be able to shop
beginning at noon on the twenty eighth of November, that
is Black Friday. That's when the lot opens on the
corner of Church Street and Reed Avenue. And you guys
have done this for a long time. Seventy two years
in the making, but I and I think in the
last few years more people have begun to understand the
(04:42):
work of the y men and the work that your
service organization does. And obviously you guys. One of the
biggest things that you guys do is you build wheelchair
ramps for people in need around the area. And it's
just amazing because you are building them from the ground.
Talk about where that money.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Goes, Well, the money goes to purchasing the lumber and
the fasteners, screws, bolts, connectors, things like that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
That's where the money goes.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And some of these ramps can be a very simple
eight foot long ramp off of a shallow or short porch,
but other times they could be I don't know, twenty
twenty four feet long with that have to wind.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You know, they have landings.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
And then they turn and then they go the opposite direction,
and then they turn again in order to fit within a.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Small confined space.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
So those can range oh gosh, even up to seven
hundred and fifty maybe even one thousand dollars of lumber.
Of course, the labor's free, but that's where that's where
all of our proceeds go, and that is to purchase number.
But I should also point out that we try to
(06:14):
at least once a year, sometimes every other year, we
make significant donations to other local nonprofits in Marion. I
could list off ten to eleven, twelve different nonprofits, but
you know, we're talking about the Palace Theater, and the
(06:37):
Historical Society, and.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
The Homeless to Home Luke, three eleven ministries.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
The Peanut Butter Truck, which we hear so much about
these days. We keep our profits right here in Marion
and it makes a big difference for folks here in town.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
This year, you guys built twenty one ramps in about
what eight months, seven months, and it almost seems like
you're doing three or four a month for the months
that you're working. And you're busy, guys, because you know,
once again, we're not getting any younger. And that's just
a heck of a thing to do for people that
need them, that have mobility issues that you guys are
(07:24):
able to do that. And I know with that, not
only for the Christmas trees, but for the other work
that you do, you have a lot of huge community
support sponsors. Talk for a minute about those people.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
Oh well, I could go on about the great support
that we get from the community. But let's just start
with the individuals, those small donations that just simply show
up in our mailbox from folks that hear about us,
(07:56):
know about us from our Facebook page.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
We do to people.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Who buy a Christmas tree for sixty dollars and give
us eighty dollars and they don't want any money back,
They don't want.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
The change back.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Just little small simple donations like that happen year after
year after year, and too numerous to list. And two
often anonymous that just simply continue.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
To come in.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
But our big supporters, of course come from the Marion
County Council on Aging. In the past we've received five
thousand dollars from them. Modern Woodman the fraternal organization. They
help sponsor four to five wheelchair ramps a year. Ohio
(08:54):
Health another great supplier or a supporter of ours.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Kroger grocery stores.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
They a portion of sales can can be redirected to
the wymen on your on your Kroger Shoppers card. We
have a big support from the Marion Community Foundation. They
(09:25):
they provide us with the donation and and the VFW,
the Stephen Cheney VFW where we meet twice a month,
the first and third Wednesday of every month at six o'clock,
and that's the VFW on Route four where the helicopter is.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
They're they're a great supporter.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
And I should also point out the American Legion Post
one sixty two, another supporter of ours. But one of
our best events and most fun event is our annual
golf outing. And you know, I I contacted our organizer
(10:16):
and I you know, I said to him, I said,
you know, do you want me to do some advertising
for this, maybe make some flyers or or you know,
notify the radio stations like I do for the tree sale.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
He said, no, that's okay.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
He said, We've got people that know when we're going
to do it, and they always come through for us.
And year after year that golf outing provides us with
thousands of dollars of support. So I just I just
wanted to point out the good things that are happening
(10:56):
in Marion, this supporting us and our mission, not only
building wheelchair ramps. And I'll tell you, Paul, there's nothing
quite like the moment when the ramp is finished and
the homeowner who has.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
In some cases almost been trapped in their.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
House it is able to roll out under their front
porch and down the ramp and it's almost almost a
new release on life. It is a rewarding experience for
all of us.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
It's why we keep doing what we do well.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
I'll tell you, folks, you need to find the Wyman
Service Club, Marion, Ohio on Facebook and see pictures and
stories from all of these builds that they chronicle as
they do it, which has become a huge, huge thing
for people to know what the why men do the
work that they do, the sponsors that help them out,
the you know obviously, the partners you have, and you
(12:04):
know this. It's unbelievable what you guys do. And they
can support it themselves by buying a Christmas tree making
a donation being part of the y Men's Christmas Tree sale.
The lot opens at noon on Friday, November twenty eighth
on the corner of Church Street and Reed Avenue where
they've been for decades, and you can stop buying support
(12:24):
them by buying a tree. Marshall, thank you so much
for the time. I always appreciate getting together with you
and chatting about the work that you guys do.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
You bet Paul, thank you so much to you and
WMRN and the continued interest and support of your radio station.
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