In the News
Published: Dec 09, 2006
By STANLEY B. CHAMBERS JR
A lot of spirit in a lot full of trees
Durham -- Martha Hall twisted and turned the Christmas tree, which was far taller than her 5-foot, 3-inch frame. Her customer needed some convincing.
"You'll like this one, this one's bigger," Hall said.
After two trees, Hall found one that pleased her customer, Ronnie Northam. While Northam paid for his tree at TROSA's Northgate mall tree lot, Hall plopped her red and white Santa hat on Jarius, Northam's 3-year-old son.The child smiled and jumped around as Hall loaded the tree atop Northam's SUV. The Northams drove away to set up and decorate their new Christmas tree.
Hall, 25, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, lives for such moments.
She and other residents in Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, a local substance abuse program, are selling trees to support the program. Hall started drinking alcohol at 15 and graduated to heroin and crack cocaine. A friend introduced her to TROSA a year ago.
"It's made me appreciate Christmas more and life in general," she said. "I know I had a second chance so it's making it that [much] more special to me."
Hall grew up in Creedmoor and family celebrations during the holidays were centered around the Christmas tree.
Hall said she looks forward to the time after she graduates from TROSA when she can start her own family and revive holiday traditions such as Christmas dinner at her grandmother's home. For now, her Christmas revolves around creating memories for her customers at the tree lot. Hall is patient with picky customers and always cheerful -- even in the cold rain.
On a recent Sunday, she was hard at work selling trees on the busy lot.
"Are you going to take the Christmas tree in the house when you get home?" Hall said to Mackenzie Hasty-Groves, 5, while securing a tree onto her mother's SUV. The girl just sucked on her candy cane.
Later, Hall tried to find a tree that would make Mery Principe happy. Hall shook one tree to show off its fullness, but Principe wasn't satisfied. Principe asked Hall to get another one from the back of the lot.
"This one's full," Hall said of the second tree.
Principe still wasn't sure. So Hall tried to convince one of Principe's two sons.
"You like this one better, don't you?" she asked Shane Johansen, 33, who has Down's Syndrome. "You're going to decorate it, won't ya?"
Principe brought the second tree and Hall loaded it onto her car.
It had already been a busy shift and Hall needed a break. But across the lot, she spotted a small child, barely old enough to walk. She headed out to the child's parents. It was time to make another sale.
Article from The Durham News