O Christmas Tree: Oaks Club Christmas Tree Tops 24 Feet

The Oaks Club has “decked the halls” in grand yuletide style, with burgundy and gold ornaments and ribbon adorning a fresh-cut, 24 foot Christmas Tree. The Frasier fir tree traveled from Sugar Plum Farms in Newland, North Carolina, and will welcome members and guests throughout the holiday season with its wonderful pine scent and towering display.

“Our holiday tree always impresses,” said Jeff Hartigan, general manager, The Oaks Club. “This year is no exception with this magnificent tree.”

Jim Pitts, owner of Sugar Plum Farms, explained the history of the tree during a telephone interview. “The tree took 32 years to grow and was hand-planted from seed,” he said. “Because the Frasier fir is native to North Carolina, we call it the “Cadillac of the market” due its wonderful aroma, it’s like no other tree,” Pitts said. It took six men to carry it out of the field and 6 men to tie it up and load on a flatbed headed to its MacEwen Drive destination.

The 100 acres of Sugar Plum Farms has been cited as the largest “choose and cut” Christmas tree farm in North Carolina and Pitts estimates he has over 100,000 trees growing there. Farming Christmas trees since 1969, Pitts attributes his success to Mother Nature saying, “she does a lot of the work for us.” Pitts says he adds a little TLC by fertilizing and spraying the trees calling it a year-round job. His wife, Helen, runs the popular Christmas shop onsite.

Oaks Club resident, Steve Evanoff, and his son, Mike, have a special connection to the tree. Their business, Evie’s Tavern, with multiple locations around Sarasota, sells trees, wreaths and poinsettia’s at their Bee Ridge Road location. Mike was able to source the 24 foot giant at Sugar Plum Farms for The Oaks Club.

“We have been selling trees for 15 years and giving to numerous charities,” Evanoff said. “We wanted to make sure The Oaks Club was the recipient of a wonderful tree.”

On Dec. 13 at 5:30 pm, the Sarasota High School Chamber Choir will be performing around the tree singing familiar Christmas carols for members and their guests. As in years past, Oaks Club members continue their tradition of generous giving by bringing unwrapped toys to place under the tree beginning Dec. 1. All toys under the tree will be donated to the Toys For Tots program.

ABOUT THE OAKS CLUB: 
The Oaks Club is a private equity country club community developed on over 1000 acres situated on both the east and west sides of US 41 in Osprey, Florida just 12 miles south of downtown Sarasota. Club amenities feature two championship golf courses, 40,000 square foot Georgian-style clubhouse, 12 Har-Tru tennis courts, pool complex, croquet, guest lodge and an active social calendar. For more information: www.theoaksclub.com