J.C. Clark (right) is one of the formerly incarcerated individuals who work each year at the Wilshire Rotary Christmas Tree lot, which helps them stay on track for success. (photo courtesy of R. Scot Clifford)

For the past 13 years, the Wilshire Rotary Christmas Tree Lot on Larchmont Boulevard has offered many options for holiday decorating, from trees and wreaths to hand-made ornaments and artisanal pieces.

But selecting a tree or decorations from Wilshire Rotary brightens more than just a room or building during the holidays. It brings hope for the future for people with troubled pasts.

Windsor Square resident and Wilshire Rotary member R. Scot Clifford, who operates the tree lot each year with his wife Wendy, said he is always looking for ways to give back to the community – a hallmark of the Rotary Club. Nine years ago, he learned about a program operated by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in which formerly incarcerated men are paroled into supervised residences with the goal of finding them employment and helping them reintegrate into society. The program is for older inmates who often spent years or decades in prison. Clifford formed a partnership with the program that still exists today.

“I said, “OK, I’ll give it a try.” We brought on 10 fellows that year,” Clifford said. “It turned out they worked great. They were respectful, they were hard workers, they got along with everybody and just wanted to succeed.”

That success led Clifford to expand the partnership with the archdiocese and organizations such as the Amity Foundation, which also helps formerly incarcerated men reintegrate into society. Each year, he hires 10 to 12 formerly incarcerated individuals and they unload trucks, stack and trim trees, assist customers and prepare trees for delivery. Clifford said he is looking forward to working with them again when the tree lot opens on Friday, Nov. 29.

“I believe that if we think somebody is ready to be released from prison, we should prepare them to be successful in society,” Clifford said. “Every one of them that I know of has done well. Some have gone on from the tree lot to other jobs. Many come back and say, ‘It was a great experience. It made a big difference in my life.’”

J.C. Clark, who spent 37 years in prison until being released in 2008 at the age of 59, has worked at the Wilshire Rotary Tree Lot every year since his release. Clark said when he was first hired, he lived a transitional living home in South Los Angeles and rode his bicycle every day to the Christmas tree lot in Larchmont Village. The opportunity was transformational and it gave him hope for the future, Clark said.

“Grateful is not a big enough word. It was like the Berlin Wall coming down,” he added. “For me, it was personal growth and transformation. The acceptance I received from Wilshire Rotary changed my life. I haven’t missed a year since.”

Clark said the skills he learned from working at the Christmas tree lot helped him reintegrate into the working world. He has his own residence in South Los Angeles, works as a landscaper and also has a job managing transitional living homes like the one where he formerly lived.

“I am part of the Rotary family,” Clark said. “Their success is my success.”

The Wilshire Rotary Christmas Tree Lot offers a variety of trees grown on a farm in Oregon. The trees are cut and delivered weekly, and include silvertips, noble firs, Nordmann firs and Douglas firs. The lot also sells wreaths, mistletoe, poinsettias and handmade sleighs, snowmen and other holiday items made from pine logs. The lot offers photo ops, and Santa is a frequent visitor during the holidays. Clifford said to call to find out when Mr. Claus is coming.

Sales at the tree lot benefit Wilshire Rotary’s community service and its parent organization Rotary International’s programs, including projects at local elementary schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, and Alexandria House, a transitional shelter for women. He added that his favorite part is helping his formerly incarcerated employees, who he hopes stay on track toward achieving better lives.

“I have very close relationships with them. We have had some of them over for Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner, and had some work on projects at our house,” Clifford said. “Many have been with us for several years and have been great. I am very proud of them.”

The Wilshire Rotary Christmas Tree Lot is open from Nov. 29 through Christmas Eve at 568 N. Larchmont Blvd. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily. For information, call (323)464-1935.