This past weekend’s Festival of Trees for the Northern Lights Health Foundation was the most successful to date, raising more than $400,000 at the live auction alone.
All three ticketed events were sold out in advance and one tree, donated by Finning Canada, sold for $55,000.
This year’s festival included the Ladies Holiday Luncheon, Family Skating Party, Ugly Christmas Sweater Party, Gala, Christmas Family Fun with Santa, and weekend-long Santa’s Workshop and Gift Shop.
“We’re thrilled by how well the Festival was received by our community,” said Melanie Antoine, Chair of the Health Foundation’s Board of Directors. “The event continues to grow year after year, with new and returning faces. We cannot thank our community members enough for helping us achieve a record breaking year!”
“We’re blown away by the success of Festival in light of these current economic times. Our community continues to demonstrate its resilient and generous spirit! We live in a community unlike any other; the success of Festival is proof of that!” said Susanne Chaffey, Executive Director of the Health Foundation. “On behalf of the Health Foundation, I’d like to thank everyone who attended Festival; in addition to volunteers, planning committee members, and our community partners and sponsors for making it all possible. The funds raised at Festival will support new medical equipment, programs and services throughout the Wood Buffalo region.”
Over the past 26 years, the Festival of Trees has raised over $6.5 M net for local health care, with over 30,000 volunteer hours have been invested by thousands of community members.
Weekend-long silent auction and raffle winners were contacted at the end of Festival of Trees at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Those who have yet to pick up their items may do so at the Health Foundation’s office located in the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre starting Wednesday, Nov. 25 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Festival of Trees colouring contest winner, Easton Ellis of St. Martha Catholic School, will be featured as the magazine cover child on the upcoming issue of Fort McMurray’s Child Magazine.
All money raised in the weekend-long festival stays here in our community and supports much-needed services at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre.
