The Festival of Trees transformed the Bonnyville Centennial Centre into a winter wonderland.
Attendee Elizabeth-Ann Switzer said the event always puts her in the Christmas spirit.
“We come every year to the Festival of Trees to see Santa Claus, and this year, Mrs. Claus. It’s gorgeous, and the kids have so much fun,” she expressed.
From Dec. 5 to 8, residents had the chance to purchase a ticket to win a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, snap a photo with St. Nick, and do some shopping for friends and family.
“It went really well this year,” noted organizer Doreen Kushnir. “There was lots of attendance and a lot of positive feedback.”
The event is hosted as a partnership between the Town of Bonnyville and the Bonnyville and District Chamber of Commerce. All of the funds raised this year were donated to the Bonnyville Child and Adolescent Mental Health Clinic.
“Mental health is just as important as your physical health, and you need to have it accessible locally,” said Megan Wakefield, acting executive director with the chamber. “It’s a great service in the area, and they’ve helped so many kids in this area. We were talking with them, and they explained how our funding helps. They can offer more classes for parents to be able to speak with their children more on mental health, and it helps train the mental health navigator to do her job better.”
Kushnir had high hopes for their donation. Her personal goal was to raise $20,000.
“It’s dear to a lot of people’s hearts, and I think it’s a good fundraiser.”
A new aspect this year was how attendees could place a bid on the trees. Tickets were purchased and draws were held to see who would take one home.
“It makes it more affordable for everyone, because not everyone can afford a $400 or $500 tree. It’s for a great cause, so people are more inclined to give $20 for a ticket for a chance to win,” explained Wakefield.
Switzer agreed, “I like the idea of tickets, because then anyone has a chance of winning the tree and it’s a nice little surprise instead of bidding on something.”
According to Wakefield, over 200 tickets were purchased throughout the four days.
For Switzer, the holiday season doesn’t begin until she attends the event with her family.
“I think it definitely makes it real... for the kids and their families, and it’s just a magical time... The beginning of December rolls around, Christmas movies are on the television, Christmas trees are up at the Centennial Centre, and it’s just perfect.”
Although the total amount raised won’t be known for a couple of weeks, ticket sales for the trees was estimated to be around $4,600.
