The spirit of Christmas was brought to Navy Pier by the United States Coast Guard on Saturday morning, with festive sights and smells filling the air as the holiday season approaches.
The “Chicago Christmas Ship” has arrived for the 25th year.
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“Reflecting on this scene, one cannot help but feel a sense of warmth and joy. It truly showcases the beauty of our nation,” expressed U.S. Coast Guard MCPO Heath Jones.
One at a time, 1,200 Christmas trees were offloaded from the United States Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw.
The massive vessel and its crew, making the multi-day journey to deliver Christmas cheer from Cheboygan, Michigan.
“It’s stressful. Big ship for a little spot,” said U.S. Coast Guard Cdr. Jeannette Greene.
Greene is responsible for the Cutter Mackinaw and says the operation takes months of prep.
“The logistics of this operation are mainly handled by the Christmas Ship Committee. They are the ones who put in the hard work. Our role is primarily transportation,” Greene added.
Once safely off the ship, the trees are loaded onto a convoy of nearby waiting U-Haul trucks.
The trees will then be passed out by Ada S. McKinley Community Services to nonprofit organizations across Chicago.
“It’s warm and fuzzy to be able to know we are sharing that holiday season feeling, that feeling of warmth and joy and hope, with all our families,” said Ada S. McKinley Community Services CEO Jamal Malone.
The “Christmas Ship” has delivered 30,000 trees over the years, making the mighty Mackinaw a beacon of light and joy ahead of the holidays.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
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