Community donations from the Courtenay Volunteer Fire Department’s recent Christmas Tree Chipping event have resulted in some serious green for a local charity.

Courtenay volunteer firefighter Allan Farrant said the event raised $3,150, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Y.A.N.A. (You Are Not Alone). “The entire department was involved with this event over two days,” said Farrant. “We chipped over 500 trees. People were dropping off trees on foot, in cars, even pulling them in wagons. This was a really fun event.”

This year’s event marked the first time the Courtenay Department set up a tree drop-off in east Courtenay, along with the usual location at the Courtenay Firehall in west Courtenay.

“We’d like to thank everyone that came out to our two locations,” noted Farrant. “We are so grateful for the generous response we had from the community.”

“We’d also like to thank Crown Isle Shopping Centre for letting us use their parking lot for this event; it made it much more convenient and accessible for east Courtenay residents.”

The chipped trees will be used by the Courtenay Parks department on flower beds and pathways throughout the City.