For the past five winters, businesses and community members have lit up the North Hastings Hospital with their creativity.
The North Hastings Hospital Auxiliary’s Festival of Trees begins on the 25th with eight businesses and individuals having decorated trees that were donated by Home Hardware. Canadian Tire, Kenda Gillespie, Kawartha Credit Union, Loyalist College, Necessities, North Hastings Family Pharmacy, North Hastings Public Library and Razor’s Edge are decorating trees this year.
At the request of some of last year’s bidders, the trees this year are four-and-a-half feet, which is smaller than what they have been in past year’s “It’s easier for (the bidders) to set-up,” Convener of the Festival of Trees Rose Goodwin says.
The auxiliary has already hit their $50,000 goal, so all the money they raise will be going towards next year’s fundraising effort. You can purchase a raffle ticket for $2 or 3 for $5, which will allow you to make a bid on the tree, or participate in the silent auction filled with donations from people and businesses in the community.
“We’re always grateful to the community for participating every year,” Goodwin says. The bidding process starts on the 25th and continues until December 12th when the auxiliary hosts their wine and cheese finale at the Corner Cafe.
“They’re all beautiful,” Goodwin says of the trees that have been made over the past five years. She says every year the community votes on who made the best tree. Last year Necessities was the winner and got a small prize from the team at the auxiliary. This year, Goodwin says the best tree as voted on by the community will get a box of chocolates to reward them for their hard work.
“It runs rampant sometimes,” Goodwin says of the bidding process, urging people to keep an eye on their favourite tree so they don’t lose out when the bidding closes.