Oxford Family Donates Tree for Boston

Nova Scotia’s annual Christmas tree gift to Boston is coming from Cumberland County for the first time.

Ross McKellar and Teresa Simpson from Oxford are donating the 14 metre (46 foot) white spruce that will soon begin its 1,100 kilometre journey to Boston.

The tree is given as part of the annual thank you to Boston for sending medical personnel and supplies when nearly 2,000 people were killed and hundreds more were left injured and homeless by the Halifax Explosion.

"The Tree for Boston is one of our proudest traditions as we honour the kindness Boston showed us in our time of need," said Lands and Forestry Minister Iain Rankin. "This year, we will mark the 101st anniversary of the Halifax Explosion at the Boston Tree Lighting on Nov.29."

The tree will be celebrated at a public cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15. Students from the Oxford Regional Education Centre will attend the ceremony to learn about the Halifax Explosion.

After the ceremony, the tree will stop in Truro and Halifax. The tree will be on public display at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre in Truro, on Nov. 15, at 2 p.m.

There will be a public farewell at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 16 at Grand Parade in downtown Halifax. The tree will also appear in the Chronicle Herald Holiday Parade of Lights on Saturday, Nov. 17.

For more information and important dates regarding the Tree for Boston, visit http://www.novascotia.ca/treeforboston and follow Tree for Boston on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.