Supporting mental health care one tree at a time

Christmas trees for sale during the Royal Mental Health Centre's 37th annual Christmas tree sale. (Shaun Vardon/CTV News Ottawa)

The Royal Mental Health Centre launched its 37^th annual Christmas tree sale on Saturday, and sales were brisk.

At 10 a.m., supporters were lining up at the lot located on the hospital campus at 1145 Carling Avenue, waiting to have the first pick of the fresh Christmas trees.

Annmarie Nicholson, the Director of Volunteer Services at the Royal, says the sale is an important fundraiser for the hospital. Last year, the sale raised over $50,000.

"It gives us an opportunity to connect with the community and it also raises really important funds that support client and family centred care here at the Royal," Nicholson said. "One of the nicest things about this sale are our return customers that come year after year, in many cases it’s actually multi-generational families that come."

Dan Hoang and Kathleene Tayler arrived around 12 p.m. It’s their daughters first Christmas, and they wanted Amelia to experience the Christmas traditions they grew up with while supporting an important cause.

"We are from the neighbourhood and we love the work that the Royal Ottawa does. This is a great cause; we want to be able to share that joy with everyone else," Haong said. "We love the smell of these fresh trees and love supporting the community."

According to Tayler, she grew up getting trees from the Royal, and coming here on Saturday continues that tradition of kicking off the Christmas season.

With hundreds of trees to choose from, there are still many up for grabs, but Nicholson warns last year's trees sold out in nine days.

This year, she expects the trees to be gone by the end of the week, so if you want that Christmas tree smell and to support mental health in the community it is best not to wait.