DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, Master Cpl. Andrew Manning and a young donor show off toys collected by the Delaware Natural Resources Police for Toys for Tots. DNREC photo.

To kick off the holiday season, Delaware Natural Resources Police are teaming up with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program to provide toys as gifts for children in local communities.

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program collects new, unwrapped toys suitable for boys and girls of all ages and distributes those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in communities nationwide.

Toys will be accepted through Wednesday, Dec. 15 at the following drop-off locations with Toys for Tots donation boxes, with donors asked to adhere to current mask requirements for state buildings when dropping off toys:

• All Delaware State Park offices statewide, including the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington and the First State National Historical Park in New Castle County, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Delaware Natural Resources Police office in Sussex County at 23530 Campbell Circle, Georgetown, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• DNREC Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Various locations and events throughout the state attended by Natural Resources Police officers.

For more information, or for the dates and locations of upcoming events where toys can be donated, contact officers with DNREC’s three Natural Resources Police units:

• Master Cpl. Andy Manning, DNREC Environmental Crimes Unit, andrew.manning@delaware.gov, 302-739-9401
• Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, brooke.mitchell@delaware.gov, 302-739-9913
• Cpl. David Redgraves, DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation, david.redgraves@delaware.gov, 302-272-3534

For more information, visit toysfortots.org. To donate toys locally or make local monetary donations online, visit county websites: New Castle, Kent or Sussex.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin, Master Cpl. Andrew Manning, Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit, and a Brandywine Zoo visitor donate toys in 2019. DNREC photo.

To kick off the holiday season, DNREC Natural Resources Police are teaming up with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program to provide toys as gifts for children in local communities.

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program collects new, unwrapped toys suitable for boys and girls of all ages and distributes those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in communities nationwide.

Toys will be accepted through Friday, Dec. 11 at the following drop-off locations with Toys for Tots donation boxes, with donors required to wear masks and practice social distancing when dropping off toys:

• All Delaware State Park offices statewide, including the Brandywine Zoo, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Natural Resources Police office in Sussex County at 23530 Campbell Circle, Georgetown, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Environmental Crimes Unit offices at 715 Grantham Lane, New Castle
• DNREC Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Various locations and events throughout the state attended by Natural Resources Police officers.

For more information, or for the dates and locations of upcoming events where toys can be donated, contact officers with DNREC’s three Natural Resources Police units:

• Master Cpl. Andy Manning, Environmental Crimes Unit, andrew.manning@delaware.gov, 302-739-9401
• Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, Division of Fish and Wildlife, brooke.mitchell@delaware.gov, 302-739-9913
• Cpl. David Redgraves, Delaware State Parks,
  david.redgraves@delaware.gov, 302-272-3534

For more information, visit toysfortots.org. To donate toys locally or make local monetary donations online, visit your county web page: New Castle, Kent or Sussex.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. For more information, visit the website and connect with DNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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Take your tree to a yard waste site or contact your waste collector

DOVER – Delawareans are encouraged to give their recycling spirit a boost after the holiday season by delivering their Christmas trees to one of many yard waste recycling facilities located throughout the state. Please note that Christmas trees are no longer accepted for recycling at any Delaware State Park locations.

Christmas trees will be accepted free of charge for recycling from residents at the facilities listed below. Residents may be able to bring their trees as soon as Dec. 26 and as late as Jan. 30, 2016, but should contact the facility for specific hours and details. Trees will not be accepted from commercial haulers or tree vendors without prior approval. Artificial decorations, including hooks, wire, tinsel and ornaments, as well as wood and metal tree stands, must be removed from all trees before dropping them off for recycling.

“Many Delawareans have been recycling their Christmas trees for many years, and we encourage everyone to establish or continue this eco-friendly tradition,” said Bill Miller, program manager in DNREC’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Section. “Recycling these trees that are a product of nature is a wonderful way of giving back to the environment.”

Christmas tree recycling saves valuable landfill space. At least 18 percent of residential waste is composed of grass, leaves, brush, trees and other lawn maintenance and landscaped materials. Prior to Delaware’s yard waste bans, these materials – considered a resource for composting and reuse rather than waste – were deposited in landfills, taking up valuable space and limiting local markets for mulch and compost products.

Many entities collect Christmas trees, including various waste haulers and landscapers. Your regular trash hauler may offer special collections for Christmas trees in January.

Kent County will collect Christmas trees from Jan. 11-15 and 18-22 on your regular trash day for customers in trash districts that have the yard waste collection service.

Christmas trees, stripped of all decorations and detached from tree stands, can be dropped off by Delaware residents for free at any of the following locations:

New Castle County

• Polly Drummond Hill Road Community Yard Waste Demonstration Site
  Located in the Pike Creek area on Polly Drummond Hill Road, about 1/2 mile north of Kirkwood Highway. Hours: ONLY Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. through Jan. 10. Site will close Jan. 11, 2016 through May 7, 2016 (More information: www.dnrec.delaware.gov/yardwaste)
• South Chapel Yard Waste Site (operated by Holland Mulch)
  1034 S. Chapel Street, Newark, DE 19702; phone 302-737-1000
  Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m.-noon*
• Copeland’s Mulch Depot (free for trees purchased at Copeland’s; otherwise $2)
  2 Honeysuckle Drive, Stanton, DE 19804; phone 302-633-9536
  Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.*
  Closed until Jan. 4.
• Holland Mulch
  135 Hay Road, Edge Moor, DE 19809; phone 302-765-3100
  Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m.-noon*

Sussex County

• Blessings Greenhouses
  9372 Draper Road, Milford, DE 19963; phone 302-393-3273
  Hours: Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-5 p.m.*
• Blue Hen Organics
  33529 Fox Run Road, Frankford, DE 19945; phone 302-732-3211
  Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-4 p.m.*
• Grizzly’s Landscape Supply Service
  18412 The Narrow Road, Lewes, DE 19958; phone 302-644-0654
  Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.*
• Kaye Construction
  22288 Coverdale Road, Seaford, DE 19973; phone 302-629-7483
  Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.*, closed until Jan. 4
• Millville Organic Center
  Whites Neck Road (0.5 miles north of Route 26) Millville, DE 19967; phone 302-423-2601
  Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.*
• Selbyville Pet and Garden Center (free for active customers within the last 6 months)
  38205 DuPont Boulevard, Selbyville, DE 19975; phone 302-436-8286)
  Hours: Thursdays and Fridays 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m.***
• Stockley Materials
  25136 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE 19947; phone 302-856-7601
  Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-5 p.m.*

*Please call ahead as businesses may alter their hours of operation around the holidays.

Only Christmas trees from residents will be accepted for free. Facilities may charge a fee for other yard waste. Other locations throughout the state also accept Christmas trees for recycling for a fee. For information on other yard waste drop-off sites in Delaware, go to: www.dnrec.delaware.gov/yardwaste and click “Yard waste drop-off options.”

Delawareans are also reminded that DNREC’s Polly Drummond Hill Road yard waste site is closing Jan. 11, 2016, and will reopen on May 7, 2016 for Saturdays only. For more information, click: DNREC’s Polly Drummond Hill Road yard waste site to close Jan. 11, 2016; will reopen next May Saturdays only.

For more information about yard waste, visit DNREC’s website, www.dnrec.delaware.gov/yardwaste or call 302-739-9403 ext.1.

DOVER, DE – The Holidays are quickly approaching and most people have already begun shopping, decorating or planning a trip to see family or friends over the coming weeks. Take some time today to review your insurance coverage and to ensure that you, your family, and your home are prepared for the colder weather and other perils that occur more frequently during this time of the year.

Holiday gatherings for most people include indulging in great food and drinks. With all of that extra cooking and baking going on there’s just more potential for a fire. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average home fire claim costs $34,306. A claim after a fire would likely be lower for renters, since they are only insuring the contents of their rented home or apartment, but many renters do not realize that their belongings are likely not covered by their landlord’s insurance.

While the kitchen remains the number one place where fires start in the home, holiday decorations and space heaters greatly increase the chances for fires if you aren’t careful. Never leave candles or space heaters unattended and keep them away from flammable objects. If you have a live Christmas tree, be sure to water it often. Get rid of old strings of lights that get hot and could cause a fire. According to statistics from Allstate Insurance, the median cost for a home fire caused by a Christmas tree is more than $100,000! Christmas trees burn hot and fast, so a tiny spark can become a huge fire in mere minutes. When plugging in lights and decorations outside, do not overload outlets or use substandard extension cords.

Allstate Insurance found that theft claims went up by 7 percent during the holidays, which makes sense since our houses and cars are often filled with expensive gifts. When shopping, keep gifts in your car out of sight and, when possible, schedule package deliveries for times when you will be home. Some people send deliveries to their workplace so they can sign for, and accept, deliveries during the work day.

Be sure to notify your insurance company if you buy high-value items, like jewelry, art or electronics. There are usually limits on how much the policy will pay for specific categories of items. If an item is worth a lot of money you should ask your agent about scheduling an endorsement (also referred to as a “rider”) to better protect your investment should an item be stolen or damaged in a fire, etc.

In today’s world of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, remember that it’s not always a good idea to overshare the details of when your family will be away visiting Grandma. Don’t make it easy on thieves to come steal presents bought with your hard-earned money.

If you’re hosting a party, remember to serve alcohol responsibly and do not let intoxicated friends or family drive home. When the weather brings snow and ice be sure to clear sidewalks and put down salt or de-icer, if necessary. Homeowners and renters insurance policies both provide liability coverage if someone is injured on your property, but know the limits of your policy.

Don’t forget that it’s also open enrollment time for health insurance plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace (Healthcare.gov). All plans purchased through the Marketplace will expire on December 31, 2014, no matter when your coverage began in 2014. If you would like to re-enroll, change plans or sign up for health insurance for the first time you can do so until February 15, 2015. However, anyone who wants a plan to be effective starting on January 1, 2015, needs to sign up or re-enroll by December 15, 2014. For more information about your health insurance options visit www.choosehealthde.com or www.healthcare.gov.

If you have health insurance through your employer your open enrollment period may be going on now, or may begin soon. Pay close attention to the deadlines and be sure to give yourself plenty of time to review your options. There’s much more to consider than the monthly premium alone. Make sure you review the deductible; sometimes paying a little more in premiums will make for a much lower deductible.

If you are traveling, be sure to take your health insurance information with you. Always keep a record of your medications, and if you’re flying, it’s usually safer to keep medicine in your carry-on since luggage can sometimes be lost for days—if not forever. Remember, if you need to seek medical care and you’re out-of-network you will likely be subject to higher co-pays and/or deductibles. If you need medical care for a non-emergency issue find a local urgent care clinic or medical aid unit, which will typically be cheaper than an ER visit.

For more information about insurance visit www.delawareinsurance.gov

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For more information: Jerry Grant 302-674-7303

DOVER — More than 30 Delaware farmers have Christmas trees available for First State merrymakers this holiday season, with firs, spruces and pines in abundance – and easy to find and buy with the Delaware Fresh mobile app. The app and a related website, de.gov/christmastrees, feature locations, hours and other shopping information.

“It’s great family fun to pick out just the right locally-grown tree for your house,” said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Kee. “Buying from a Delaware farm is a guarantee to get the freshest tree and support our local tree farmers at the same time.”

Growing Christmas trees is a specialized business in Delaware, with growers selecting particular varieties for attractiveness or other features. It typically takes seven to 10 years to grow a thriving 7-foot-tall First State Christmas tree. This is the busiest time of year for Delaware’s Christmas tree farmers, Kee said, but they work year-round to care for their trees.

The Delaware Fresh app is available free for download on Android, iPhone and Windows 8 phone platforms at https://delaware.gov/apps/.

To pick the right tree, examine it carefully, looking out for these details:

>> The shape and size of a tree will depend on where you plan to place it and the height of the ceiling in your home. Some people want a more slender tree like a fir, while others like a larger, fuller tree like a spruce, and still others prefer a fuller, bushier tree like a pine.

>> Although most people prefer a well-rounded and shapely tree, you may find it more practical and economical to buy one that is somewhat flat or sparsely branched in one side, so that it fits into a corner or against a wall.

>> While “choose-and-cut” purchasers gain in popularity, families that buy their trees from retail lots can also check for freshness. They can test cut trees by bending needles to check resilience (if it springs back into position, the tree is fresh); bumping the base of the tree on the ground (if the needles don’t fall, the tree is fresh); and feeling the bottom of the trunk (if sappy and moist, the tree is fresh).

When the tree is home, families still need to care for it to make it stay fresh throughout the season:

>> Keep a cut tree in a cool, shaded area, sheltered from wind, with the trunk in a bucket of water until you are ready for set up.

>> Just before putting a cut tree into its stand, cut an inch or two off the butt end. This fresh cut will allow the tree to more readily take up water once it is moved inside.

>> Fresh trees take up water at a very fast rate. You should check the water level two hours after setting up the tree. Then, check the water level at least once daily to see that it is above the bottom of the tree’s trunk. It is not uncommon for trees to take up a quart or more of water daily.

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Contact:
Dan Shortridge
Chief of Community Relations
Delaware Department of Agriculture
302-698-4520