ROCKPORT – A search for the perfect Christmas tree led the owners of a local winery to the front door of a Hermon family.

Bettina Doulton, owner of the Cellardoor Vineyard of Lincolnville and Cellardoor Winery of Rockport, wanted a green tree to place on the rotunda, or front lawn, of the winery’s villa, a yellow Victorian house overlooking the intersection of Routes 1 and 90 in Rockport.

Seth McLean of Rockport, property manager for the winery, searched the state for just the right tree until he found it in the yard of Carol Dam on Pine Tree Road in Hermon. The 30-foot fir stood on the north side of the house protecting it from the wind, according to Dam, who said she sold the tree to Cellardoor for $700.

“That tree was planted for my daughter, Jennifer Roy, when she started school 25 years ago,” Dam said in a phone interview Monday. “I couldn’t believe my tree was the one they wanted.”

The family also had planted a second tree for Jennifer and two trees for Dam’s son, Justin Moleon.

A crew from Maine Tree Service arrived at the Dam residence at 7:30 a.m. Monday to fell the fir and take it to a tree yard, where it will repose until Friday, when it is to be taken to Rockport to be hoisted into place.

The tree service will decorate the tree with 10,000 lights and a bright star on top, Doulton said.

Santa and his elf on their way from Rockport Harbor will conduct the first holiday tree-lighting ceremony of the festive Christmas by the Sea weekend at the Cellardoor Villa at 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, Doulton said.

Dam and her family plan to make the trip from Hermon to attend the ceremony.

“Come spring, we are going replace that tree with two more trees for my two granddaughters, Jennessa and Jayda,” Dam said of the family tradition.

gchappell@bangordailynews.net

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