Lydia Maddox (Photo provided)
An assortment of Christmas ornaments is displayed at Maddox’s home prior to being packaged to be taken to the OCTA. (Photo provided by Rae Jean Campbell Maddox)
By Ryan Applegate
People’s Defender
For Lydia Maddox, a senior at Peebles High School, the holiday season is more than a time for celebration—it’s a time to give back. This year, she took the lead in organizing a community-wide effort to collect Christmas ornaments and cards for U.S. military personnel stationed overseas, working in conjunction with the Ohio Christmas Tree Association’s (OCTA) Operation Evergreen program.
Since its founding in 1995, Operation Evergreen has aimed to bring holiday joy to troops far from home by sending fully decorated Christmas trees to military units overseas. The initiative combines patriotism with holiday cheer, giving community members the chance to show their appreciation for the sacrifices made by service members. Each tree comes complete with ornaments, garland, and heartfelt messages, reminding the troops they are not forgotten.
Maddox’s project was inspired by a conversation with her grandmother, who wished the family’s Christmas tree farm could contribute trees to Operation Evergreen. While the farm’s trees are too small for the program, Maddox saw another way to help.
“My Grandma mentioned she wished we could send our trees to the soldiers,” Maddox explained. “When I found out they always need more ornaments, I thought it would be a nice idea to organize a drive.”
In its annual effort, Operation Evergreen typically sends around 100 decorated trees overseas. The operation requires an incredible amount of supplies: 4,800 ornaments, 3,500 feet of garland, 100 tree toppers, and countless personal messages for the troops. Everything—from the trees to the packaging and shipping—is donated, making community contributions vital to the project’s success.
To make her vision a reality, Maddox reached out to local groups, schools and organizations. The response was overwhelming. Three 4-H clubs, the Peebles Beta Club, Venture Productions and classrooms from both North Adams Elementary and Peebles High School joined the effort, contributing handcrafted ornaments and heartfelt holiday cards.
Her collection effort brought in more than 300 ornaments and nearly 200 holiday cards—just a fraction of what Operation Evergreen requires each year but a significant contribution nonetheless.
“People really did a nice job,” said Maddox’s grandmother, Rae Jean Campbell Maddox, who helped coordinate the project. “This was a true community effort.”
For Maddox, the project holds special significance. Her uncle, Jody, is a retired Navy veteran, and her cousin, Dustin, is currently stationed in Honolulu. Growing up, Maddox also participated in other military support efforts, such as helping her church collect video messages from soldiers to share with their families during Christmas Eve services.
“Any little gesture like this can really go a long way,” Maddox said. “I can only imagine how hard it must be to not see your family, especially this time of year.”
The importance of these small gestures is something Operation Evergreen has witnessed firsthand. Rae Jean recalled a letter from a soldier who received one of the trees. He shared how seeing a tree from Ohio reminded him of home and lifted his spirits during a challenging holiday season.
The program encourages people of all ages to get involved. Schoolchildren often write messages or make ornaments as a way to express their gratitude. Troops frequently respond via email, sharing how much the effort meant to them.
Although this was Maddox’s first time organizing a drive of this scale, she and her family are already planning to expand their efforts next year. They hope to start collecting ornaments earlier in the season and involve additional organizations and schools.
“We got a late start this year,” Maddox admitted. “The post asking for donations didn’t go up until closer to the deadline, but next year, I want to start earlier and reach out to more people.”
The Maddox family also hopes to personally assist in delivering the ornaments and trees next year. Scheduling conflicts prevented them from traveling to the Ohio Christmas Tree Association’s packing event this year, but the family remains committed to increasing their involvement in the future.
“I think the more people see what a difference this makes, the more they’ll want to be part of it,” Rae Jean said.
For deployed service members, gestures like Maddox’s ornament and card drive can be a powerful reminder of home. A local Navy veteran who missed several Christmases while deployed, said receiving something so personal would have been meaningful.
“Something like that would have definitely perked me up, especially if it had come from Ohio,” the veteran said.
Maddox is grateful for the support she received and hopes her project inspires others to think of ways to give back during the holiday season.
“I appreciate everybody who took their time to donate money, ornaments, and cards,” she said.
As Operation Evergreen continues its mission to deliver Christmas cheer to troops worldwide, Lydia Maddox’s contribution underscores the importance of community spirit. With a successful first year under her belt, she and her family are excited to expand their efforts, ensuring that even more military personnel feel the warmth of home during the holidays.
For more information on Operation Evergreen or to get involved in next year’s drive, contact the Ohio Christmas Tree Association. Donations of ornaments, garland, tree toppers, and personal messages are needed each year by the first week of November.
