
Wise Men
Prairie Trail Federation Wise Men Christmas tree lot celebrates 74 years of giving back to the community through its annual sale
Prairie Trail Wise Men Tree Lot Opens November 24 in Gordon Park in La Grange
With the changing leaves and the anticipation of the upcoming Christmas Season, one thing is certain, the Prairie Trail Wise Men will be in Gordon Park selling trees and raising money for essential community services along the way. The Prairie Trail Federation Wise Men Christmas Tree Sale will start November 24, 2023, in La Grange’s Gordon Park (Ogden Avenue and the METRA BNSF Train overpass), marking its 74th year as one of the community’s oldest holiday traditions. This year’s sale will feature stunning Balsams, Douglas Firs and Frasier trees from Upper Michigan and Nova Scotia. There will also be an appearance by Santa Clause himself on December 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Our History
The Tree Sale started in 1949 next to the old Rich Port YMCA and has continued in Gordon Park at the handball courts. The club has raised more than $2,100,000 over the years, distributing funds to many community groups in need of assistance like the Greater LaGrange YMCA, Leadershop, Beds Plus, Helping Hand, Aging Care Connections, Rotary’s Secret Santa, Pillars, NAMI and many others.
About the Wise Men
The Wise Men are a group of local volunteers who organize the sale and donate the proceeds to community organizations in a grant ceremony every Spring. The Wise Men are part of the the Prairie Trail Federation, which is the umbrella group for the Guides, Princesses and Trailblazers with over 1,800 members across West Suburban communities. For more than 70 years, the organization has provided dads with opportunities to build meaningful bonds with their sons and daughters through campouts at YMCA facilities across the Midwest and other events as well as participating in projects to support Secret Santa and fundraising for Special Olympics.
“The Wise Men Tree Sale is an extension of our mission to give back to the community in a way that can impact the quality of life in providing assistance, food, shelter and wellness support,” said Nick Caputo, President of the Prairie Trail Federation. “The tree sale is a cornerstone of the holiday experience in our community. Our fathers and their sons and daughters all enjoy the spirit of giving that is reflected in the tree sale.”
“We have been proud to bring smiles and cheer to the faces of the friends and families in our community for more than seven decades,” said Mike Zahorik, president of the Wise Men. “The rewards for us are the donations we are able to give back to the community each year, and the tree sale is a happy place because of the help we receive from the Guides, Princesses and because our customers recognize their purchase of a tree helps strengthen our community.”
The Wise Men Tree Sale is held every year from November 24 (Friday after Thanksgiving) to December 15 (or when the last tree is sold) in Gordon Park in La Grange, on Ogden Avenue near the METRA BNSF train overpass. Live evergreen trees from Michigan and Nova Scotia are available in Balsam, Frasier and Douglas varieties in sizes ranging from 5 to 10 feet. Community volunteers are welcome to stop by and join the Wise Men for Lot Set Up on November 11, Tree Unloading on the morning of November 24 and to work shifts during the sale from November 24 until the last tree is sold in December.
“The Wise Men Tree Sale is an extension of our mission to give back to the community in a way that can impact the quality of life in providing assistance, food, shelter and wellness support,” said Nick Caputo, President of the Prairie Trail Federation. “The tree sale is a cornerstone of the holiday experience in our community. Our fathers and their sons and daughters all enjoy the spirit of giving that is reflected in the tree sale.”
“We have been proud to bring smiles and cheer to the faces of the friends and families in our community for more than seven decades,” said Mike Zahorik, president of the Wise Men. “The rewards for us are the donations we are able to give back to the community each year, and the tree sale is a happy place because of the help we receive from the Guides, Princesses and because our customers recognize their purchase of a tree helps strengthen our community.”
The Wise Men Tree Sale is held every year from November 24 (Friday after Thanksgiving) to December 15 (or when the last tree is sold) in Gordon Park in La Grange, on Ogden Avenue near the METRA BNSF train overpass. Live evergreen trees from Michigan and Nova Scotia are available in Balsam, Frasier and Douglas varieties in sizes ranging from 5 to 10 feet. Community volunteers are welcome to stop by and join the Wise Men for Lot Set Up on November 11, Tree Unloading on the morning of November 24 and to work shifts during the sale from November 24 until the last tree is sold in December.
The Wise Men are a group of local volunteers who organize the sale and donate the proceeds to community organizations in a grant ceremony every Spring. The Wise Men are part of the the Prairie Trail Federation, which is the umbrella group for the Guides, Princesses and Trailblazers with over 1,800 members across West Suburban communities. For more than 70 years, the organization has provided dads with opportunities to build meaningful bonds with their sons and daughters through campouts at YMCA facilities across the Midwest and other events as well as participating in projects to support Secret Santa and fundraising for Special Olympics.
“The Wise Men Tree Sale is an extension of our mission to give back to the community in a way that can impact the quality of life in providing assistance, food, shelter and wellness support,” said Nick Caputo, President of the Prairie Trail Federation. “The tree sale is a cornerstone of the holiday experience in our community. Our fathers and their sons and daughters all enjoy the spirit of giving that is reflected in the tree sale.”
“We have been proud to bring smiles and cheer to the faces of the friends and families in our community for more than seven decades,” said Mike Zahorik, president of the Wise Men. “The rewards for us are the donations we are able to give back to the community each year, and the tree sale is a happy place because of the help we receive from the Guides, Princesses and because our customers recognize their purchase of a tree helps strengthen our community.”
The Wise Men Tree Sale is held every year from November 24 (Friday after Thanksgiving) to December 15 (or when the last tree is sold) in Gordon Park in La Grange, on Ogden Avenue near the METRA BNSF train overpass. Live evergreen trees from Michigan and Nova Scotia are available in Balsam, Frasier and Douglas varieties in sizes ranging from 5 to 10 feet. Community volunteers are welcome to stop by and join the Wise Men for Lot Set Up on November 11, Tree Unloading on the morning of November 24 and to work shifts during the sale from November 24 until the last tree is sold in December.
“The Wise Men Tree Sale is an extension of our mission to give back to the community in a way that can impact the quality of life in providing assistance, food, shelter and wellness support,” said Nick Caputo, President of the Prairie Trail Federation. “The tree sale is a cornerstone of the holiday experience in our community. Our fathers and their sons and daughters all enjoy the spirit of giving that is reflected in the tree sale.”
“We have been proud to bring smiles and cheer to the faces of the friends and families in our community for more than seven decades,” said Mike Zahorik, president of the Wise Men. “The rewards for us are the donations we are able to give back to the community each year, and the tree sale is a happy place because of the help we receive from the Guides, Princesses and because our customers recognize their purchase of a tree helps strengthen our community.”
The Wise Men Tree Sale is held every year from November 24 (Friday after Thanksgiving) to December 15 (or when the last tree is sold) in Gordon Park in La Grange, on Ogden Avenue near the METRA BNSF train overpass. Live evergreen trees from Michigan and Nova Scotia are available in Balsam, Frasier and Douglas varieties in sizes ranging from 5 to 10 feet. Community volunteers are welcome to stop by and join the Wise Men for Lot Set Up on November 11, Tree Unloading on the morning of November 24 and to work shifts during the sale from November 24 until the last tree is sold in December.