CLERMONT, Fla. – A Clermont couple is selling Christmas trees to families in hopes of raising money to adopt a child.
Ben Homan and his wife started out with 200 Christmas trees and are now down to about 50.
The couple said the adoption process has been tough, but they're finding a lot of joy in raising money, all while spreading holiday cheer.
Each Christmas tree they sell will get them one step closer to the arrival of their third child: a baby girl they plan to adopt from India.
"We have two or three pages of medical records (and) one little photo," Homan said.
He said the adoption process could cost tens of thousands of dollars, so he went to work on an idea to raise money.
"My wife and I, we just felt kind of funny asking for money (and) not giving anything in return and just thought, Christmas trees. Everybody loves Christmas trees," he said.
Homan tracked down a Christmas tree seller in North Carolina and made a big move.
"I took a plane up there, rented a 26-foot truck and drove 200 of them back," he said.
Homan set up the Christmas tree lot next to the Citrus Tower and has been showing up every day since Black Friday, six hours at a time, to sell the trees. Every day, customers have also shown up to show their support.
"There's so many children in the world that need to be adopted, and for Ben to take on this with his beautiful wife, it's just awesome," Susan McLean said.
"I don't know what's good in Christmas tree sales, but I feel like things are going well," Homan said.
All the money raised by the Christmas trees will help with the adoption process, travel expenses and paperwork.
The couple said said they still need about $10,000 and could be bringing the baby home anytime next year.