GLENDALE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It's better to give than to receive, and the owners of a Glendale business have taken that to heart as they give Christmas trees away to people in need while raising money for victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. 

A couple dozen Christmas trees outside the Jeminley Boutique in Glendale might not look like much, but, for owners Mitch and Debbie Whidden, they represent an opportunity to make a big difference.

The Christmas trees on the lot are actually from an area in North Carolina that was hit hard by Hurricane Helene. The Whiddens told WDRB they used to sell Christmas trees.

"We put a lot out but we never did very well with them," Mitch Whidden said.

This year, they decided to take a different approach.

"So I told (Debbie) that we would just give them all away this year," he said.

The trees, which were grown on a farm near Jefferson, North Carolina, were spared when Hurricane Helene ravaged the area months ago. Residents left behind, however, are still dealing with the aftermath of the storm.

Mitch Whidden saw the devastation firsthand when picking up the trees.

"There are still people living in tents in this cold, so they need a lot of stuff just to survive," he said.

While in North Carolina, the Whiddens discovered a local business in Jefferson that transformed to provide shelter and resources for hurricane victims, serving about 1,500 people each week.

"We just knew that that was the right place to give," Mitch Whidden said. "They really needed the help. They're local people. They know who really needs the help and they're getting it in their hands."

Last weekend, the couple gave away dozens of trees as generous contributions rolled in. The goal is to raise $10,000, and more than $5,000 has already been donated.

"They give generously for the trees," Mitch Whidden said. "And you know some people can give more, some people can't give as much, and it balances out really well."

"People are like, 'Y'all have done so much.' I'm like, we're just the avenue," Debbie Whidden added. "You all are the ones that are doing it."

With just a few trees left and less than half of the donation goal to go, the small Glendale business is proving that kindness can stretch from Kentucky to North Carolina.

"It’s hard to sit in your warm house and know that people are in tents that have lost everything and not do something, especially at Christmas, right?" Debbie Whidden said.

If you are in need of a free Christmas tree, the remaining trees will be given away from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 6 -7.

Jeminley Boutique at True Kentucky is located at 452 E. Main St. in Glendale. You can also make a donation to the hurricane relief fund by visiting jeminleyboutique.com.

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