Five Things You Need to Know Today: Dec. 29

1. Boy Scout Troops 47 of Plymouth will collect your clean Christmas tree and recycle it for a donation of $8. Tree pickup will be New Year’s Day starting at 8 a.m. This service is for Plymouth residents only. Call Simon at 508-746-7349 or send email to trees@troop47plymouth.org.

Boy Scout Troop 64 will pick up and recycle Christmas trees Jan. 5 for $8 per tree. Call or text Jonathan Edson at 508-728-5282 or email imjedson@aol.com and leave your name, address and phone number. 

For a donation of $10, Cub Scout Pack 1620 will collect and recycle your Christmas tree Saturday, Jan. 5, and plant two new trees next spring for every tree collected. To schedule a pickup, call 508-759-3457 or email Scout1620@gmail.com and provide your name and address.

2. Learn how to share your New Year's Eve event on Patch.

3. Alternately, you can take your tree to Balboni’s Landscape Supply and Green Waste Reprocessing which will be accepting Plymouth residents’ Christmas trees for recycling free of charge from Dec. 27 through the end of January. Drop off is at 135 Camelot Drive and proof of residency is required. Balboni’s hours of operation are from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday (closed Sunday). All ornaments, tinsel and lights must be removed from the trees; only clean trees are accepted for recycling.

The Christmas trees will be ground, producing high quality mulch, which will eventually break down and enrich the soil, giving back to the environment. By participating in the Christmas tree recycling program Plymouth residents will be given $40 worth of coupons which can be redeemed at Balboni’s for products or future disposal. Call Balboni’s at 508-746-6111.

4. From 6 to 6:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, there will be free tai chi and qigong classes offered at Open Space Studio, 18 Middle St., Plymouth. Colman Fink, the instructor, has been involved with tai chi, qigong, karate and kobudo for more than 40 years. There is a class limit of 20 and all students will be required to complete and sign a registration and release form. For details, visit www.MAwC.tk or www.MartialArtsWithColman.com. The instructor can also be contacted at cfink144@yahoo.com or 508-322-1299.

5. Help to provide hope to all the children who were present and affected by the tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn., by placing a new stuffed animal or new blanket in the boxes provided at New Hope Chapel, at 89 Court St., Plymouth and/or the Candy Jar, at 44 Mattakeesett St., Pembroke. These items will bring great comfort to those affected. They will be driven to Newtown to be distributed as soon as possible. Cards and letters of love and support to the families who lost a loved one are also welcome. For more information call Krystiana Watts at 339-933-1598.