A few years ago, Town Administrator Derek Sullivan visited an old monastery by his house and walked through the property’s display of Christmas trees that were decorated by the community. 

Sullivan often took his daughters to see them during the holidays, he said. “We'd walk through the trees holding hands, [and] they'd stare at all the beautiful trees talking about the love that was put into decorating them.”

“You could truly feel the magic of the season,” he added. “I remember walking through the trees thinking our folks deserve that feeling and we needed to do something like it for Wareham.”

This is how the Remembrance Trees first came to Wareham. 

December is often the time of year when the loss of loved ones hits the hardest. But since the program was introduced to Wareham three years ago, residents have had the opportunity to sponsor a tree for a fee and decorate it in honor of those loved ones.

The town purchases the trees from Olson’s Garden Center at cost, and Owner Clive Olson will often give a monetary donation to the program. The fees collected from sponsors and other donors are partially put toward the trees and the remaining funds are donated to Damien’s Food Pantry.

This year, the town had 73 trees available for sponsorship at Besse Park. A total of $4,850 was raised for donation. The Onset Bay Association coordinated an extension of the program this year which placed some trees on Onset Pier.

The program has remained strong, and sells out pretty early on in the season. This year, the trees were sold out within two to three weeks of its initial announcement in early November. 

Sullivan said the success of this program can be attributed to the many individuals involved in making it happen. 

“Wareham is filled with good people that care; residents and employees care about their loved ones, their friends, their community and those less fortunate than them,” he said. “Many people stepped up to make sure the program could work.”

Sullivan said Dave Menard, director of the Municipal Maintenance Department, and his staff work hard every year, especially to try and get the trees ready with their lights prior to Thanksgiving. 

He added, “As soon as the trees are in, it is a mad scramble to make sure that families have the opportunity to decorate the trees while loved ones are visiting.”

Another vital team for this program is Garry Buckminster, director of the Department of Natural Resources, and his staff who will “jump in” if there are ever any concerns regarding weather and the security of the trees, according to Sullivan.

On Sunday, Dec. 10, Buckminster brought some mesh fencing to Besse Park and Onset Pier for sponsors to wrap and protect their trees from an impending storm. Several sponsors who came for their own tree stayed to help wrap others’ to ensure all the trees were protected.

Sullivan thanked his assistant, Patty Neal, who “organizes and problem solves all the issues.” He added, “She’s amazing!”

He also extended a thanks to the program's sponsors, Director of the Onset Bay Association Kat Jones for her work with the trees on the pier, Olson for his continued generosity and Wareham Fire, including Chief John Kelley, as the department works every year to find ways to improve the program.

Sullivan said, “We’re very proud of how much the community enjoys the program and hope it helps bring them the holiday spirit and a new tradition to their families.”