Colliers International to Host 14th Field Trip to Patchen Tree Farm

On Friday, December 3rd, the San Jose and Redwood Shores offices of commercial real estate firm Colliers International will host their 14th annual field trip to Patchen California Tree Farm, hosting180 second graders from Trace Elementary School.
By: Colliers International
 
Dec. 1, 2010 - PRLog -- On Friday, December 3rd, commercial real estate firm Colliers International will host their 14th annual field trip for second graders to Patchen California Tree Farm in the mountains of Los Gatos. More than 40 volunteers from Colliers' San Jose and Redwood Shores offices will make the trip to Patchen to welcome and host 180 second graders from Trace Elementary School. Trace is a Title 1 school with nearly 60% of its families living at the poverty level that has participated in the Colliers field trips since 2005. Colliers and Patchen launched the field trips in 1997 with Hester Elementary School, where it continued for seven years until Hester closed in 2004. Colliers followed the kids to Cory School, which closed the following year. Cory’s kids then transferred mostly to Trace Elementary, which has participated ever since.

“This is a special year for both us and for Trace,” said Colliers’ Managing Partner, Jeff Fredericks. “Just before school started this past fall, Trace was in the news for the arson fire that destroyed the school library and 19 classrooms. While the community rallied tremendously with their support, the effects of that fire will continue for years to come and our field trip is a much-anticipated and special treat each year for the entire second grade class of Trace Elementary.”

The field trip starts with two busloads of kids filing into groups of five, each group with their own Colliers chaperone. They get introduced to the owner and founder of Patchen California, Jim Beck, who mesmerizes the kids with stories of Mountain Charlie McKiernan and the grizzly bear that took a four-inch handful of Mountain Charlie's skull but failed to kill him. After learning how the trees are planted and grown, each group heads out into the tree farm and cuts down trees that Patchen donates to needy families at Trace. In the 13 years of the Colliers field trip, approximately 1,000 trees have been donated to families that may not have been able to afford a Christmas tree otherwise.

“During one of the field trips many years ago, a little boy came up and grabbed my leg and wouldn't let go,” said Jim Beck. “He asked if he could come live with me. I told him I would love to have him, but that his parents would be very sad. Later, I learned that the young boy’s mother was in jail and his father was nowhere to be found, so he lived with his grandmother. That renewed my commitment to use this farm to help these kids.”

As each group comes back with their trees, they are welcomed with milk and cookies. Afterwards, each child gets to plant his or her own Redwood seedling and these potted seedlings go back home with the kids where they learn how to water and feed them until mature enough to be planted outside.

With this project complete, the second graders are usually paid a surprise visit by Santa Claus himself. The children serenade Santa and the Colliers volunteers with Christmas carols until it's time for Santa to get back to his reindeer and for the kids to get back to school.

Over the years, Colliers has hosted more than 1,600 second graders at Patchen California. For the kids, it is one of the highlights of being a second grader at Trace. For the Colliers volunteers, it is a perfect way to welcome the holidays and get into the spirit of the season. “The field trip to Patchen Tree Farm is a highlight of the year for second graders, their teachers and their parents,” said Therese Beaver, former second grade teacher and current Instructional Coach. “The folks at Colliers and Patchen do a wonderful job making this visit a memorable adventure and experience for all."

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About Colliers International: Colliers International is a global leader in real estate services with more than 15,000 professionals operating out of 480 offices in 61 countries. Colliers provides a full range of services to real estate users, owners and investors worldwide including: global corporate solutions; sales and lease brokerage; property and asset management; project management; hotel investment sales and consulting; property valuation and appraisal services; mortgage banking and insightful research. Colliers Parrish International, Inc., dba Colliers International, is headquartered in San Jose and has 11 offices in California and Nevada. For additional information visit www.colliers.com.
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Source:Colliers International
Email:***@colliersparrish.com
Tags:Colliers International, Trace Elementary School, Patchen California Tree Farm, Commercial Real Estate, Jeff Fredericks
Industry:Real Estate, Education, Event
Location:San Jose - California - United States
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