The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon as some 35 volunteers gathered at the shopping center to create a tree of canned food.  Standing 15 feet tall and weighing approximately 7,500 pounds, the Christmas CanTree represents a gift to the community given by area Realtorsâ through the Salvation Army.  This is the 25^th year that the Christmas CanTree has been built—a symbol reminding the public of the hard work, fundraising efforts, and community charitable giving by local real estate professionals: agents, lenders and other affiliates. The Salvation Army distributes the food in its holiday food-basket program.

Since 1983, the Sacramento Association of Realtors has sponsored the popular event known as the SAR Christmas CanTree. For many years, the tree was built in front of the SAR headquarters on Howe Avenue. The Association members were so dedicated to the tradition that when SAR built the Association’s headquarters in 1984, the blacktop was reinforced to hold the weight of a 25-foot tree. In 2003, the Realtors began building the trees in local shopping malls so that the community could more visibly share in the gift. Since its inception, the SAR CanTree has raised funds to provide over 1 million cans of food.  This year, it is anticipated that more than 25,000 people from more than 5,000 local families will benefit from the baskets and donations.

Throughout the year, Realtors, lenders and affiliates cooperate in a myriad of fundraising efforts—golf tournaments, bowling tournaments, picnics, carnivals, crab feeds, silent and live auctions. And, rain or shine, in good years and down years, the Realtors lovingly build the trees, knowing that others in our community will have a brighter Christmas season due to the hard work and generosity of many people. In 2006, the Christmas CanTree raised over $112,000 for The Salvation Army’s Christmas food- basket program.

The Christmas CanTrees will be on display through December 27^th at three local malls–the Downtown Plaza rotunda, Country Club Plaza and Sunrise Mall. Each tree is constructed from more than 40 cases of canned food. Each tree requires as many as 50 volunteers and 3 to 4 hours to build and decorate. The Sacramento Association of Realtors celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the SAR Christmas CanTree with a breakfast meeting held on December 4^th where the proceeds of this year’s drive, $102,500, were presented to The Salvation Army.