AMHERST — A decades-old tradition for local Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs to sell Christmas trees from downtown’s Kendrick Park will continue, with safety protocols in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sale, held since the 1950s, commences on Black Friday, but people will have to make reservations if they intend to buy a tree on a weekday.
“We debated not doing the tree sale this year due to the pandemic, but decided that seeing the Christmas tree lot in Kendrick Park is an important part of welcoming the Christmas season in Amherst,” said Beth Hodges, assistant scoutmaster for the South Amherst-based Troop 500 and Troop 5500, which is one of the few local troops for girls.
The sale is also coordinated by North Amherst Troop 504.
Scouts will be set up until Dec. 20, with Saturdays and Sundays sales running from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and appointments scheduled for weekdays until the trees run out. For a weekday appointment, go to: https://forms.gle/SQamDCosZydKiR1B6
Only about 400 trees, half the number of trees normally brought to the site, will be available, Hodges said.
All people at the lot will be required to wear masks. A sanitizing station will be set up, and limited occupancy protocols will be in place. People not from the same household are asked to stay at least 6 feet apart.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said many of the lessons from the weekly Amherst Farmers Market will be used at the sale to keep people safe as they pick out Christmas trees.
Scouts typically bring the Christmas trees to customers’ vehicles, tying them on the roofs or placing them inside.
Money raised from the sale goes to various initiatives for the troops, such as annual membership fees, camping trips and camping gear, and purchase of merit badges.