Presbyterian Minister Creates 'Tree' to Put 'Thanks' Back Into Thanksgiving PITTSBURGH, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- What is the focal point of your family's Thanksgiving celebration? A table full of food for the annual feast, or a post-turkey football game? Is Thanksgiving nothing more than an unusually large meal squeezed somewhere between Halloween and Christmas? Frank C. Bates, a Pittsburgh resident, wants to change all that and give Thanksgiving a turkey transplant, with the giving of thanks getting equal billing to the bird. "As Americans, we have much for which to be grateful," says Bates, "but we often have difficulty expressing it. The Thanksgiving Tree helps families express their gratitude in a way that is easy, natural, and fun." Bates, a Presbyterian minister, developed the Thanksgiving Tree Family Celebration Kit, which he sees as much more than a holiday decoration. He hopes it will become a tangible symbol for Thanksgiving, serving in a similar capacity to the Christmas tree and the Menorah for Hanukkah. The 30-inch tree with flexible branches resembles a miniature maple tree in late fall, and comes with Thank You Leaf Notes that can be scattered around the base. During the week before and on the day of Thanksgiving, family members and friends are asked to write messages of appreciation and gratitude on Leaf Notes and hang them on the tree. The reading of the Leaf Notes becomes a part of the Thanksgiving celebration. The time set aside for sharing can be enriched by the accompanying Celebration Guide, which offers a grace, scriptures and prayers, including a National Prayer of Thanksgiving, written by Dr. Lloyd Olgilvie, Chaplain of the United States Senate. This is not the first inspirational product developed by Bates. He has successfully founded and led several programs in the past, including Thesis Theological Cassettes, a continuing education program for ministers, and the Kerygma Program, a series of resources to aid adults in Scriptural study. Bates hopes to broaden the scope of this initiative beyond clergy and students of the Bible to include all people, everywhere, with the Thanksgiving Tree. The Thanksgiving Tree retails for $19.95, which includes shipping and handling. A portion of the proceeds from each purchase will benefit a local food bank. To order, visit http://www.thanksgivingtree.com/ on the internet, or call toll-free, 1-866-2THANKS (1-866-284-2657). DATASOURCE: Yearick Millea CONTACT: Trisha Thorne of Yearick Millea, +1-412-323-9320 Web site: http://www.yearick-millea.com/

Copyright