By Dan Aceto

Staff Writer 

  With little more than a space heater and a cup of coffee to keep warm, Tim Byrne assumed his post at the Mobil station on the corner of Black Point Road and Route 1. 

Byrne, who has spent more than 20 years in the Rotary Club, is one of many volunteers who will participate in the organization’s annual Christmas tree sale. It is an event he said he looks forward to every year.

“I love it. You get to see everybody in town. It’s just a fun thing seeing all your neighbors,” he said.

On Saturday, the club already sold more than 20 of 451 trees delivered that morning from a Bangor farm during the opening day of its annual sale.

The Scarborough Rotary Club has held the event annually for more than 20 years and draws residents from throughout Scarborough.

Many, like Madelyn and Ken Murphy, are repeat customers.

“We come every year, it’s very convenient,” Madelyn Murphy said.

This year the Murphys are looking for the right-sized tree to fit their needs. As Ken Murphy sorts through the rows of fir trees available he finds a tree that may work, but notices one small problem.
  “The only defect is this guy right here,” he said as he motioned to a limb hanging awkwardly by the base of the tree.

Byrne marched over and examined the branch.

“We can cure that,” Byrne said.

With the whir of a chainsaw, Byrne gives the tree a special holiday trim and the Murphys are on their way.

Byrne said money from the sale will fund scholarships for high school students and for Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, a summer camp that helps students develop leadership skills. He said the Christmas tree sale is one of Rotary’s largest fundraisers and the club hopes to raise approximately $6,000.

Like any successful business venture, Byrne said success comes down to one thing:

“You know what they say, ‘location, location, location.’ The gas station has been incredibly generous with us and other organizations in town,” he said.

Byrne said the Rotary Club stays fairly busy with fundraisers year-round and Scarborough is always willing to provide assistance for charitable causes.

“One of the things that is nice about the community is that everybody gives their time,” Byrne said. “You can’t solve all the problems in the world but you can do some.”

Staff Writer Dan Aceto can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237.