LAC LA BICHE - The annual Festival of Trees four-day experience wrapped up on Nov. 27, with a sold-out tree raffle and thousands of people attending the Bold Center for the family-friendly Christmas-themed experience.
A record-breaking 66 trees were donated by local businesses this year, filling the facility’s community room from Nov. 24-27, said Pat Boon-Anderson, Festival of Trees lead organizer.
Thousands of extra raffle tickets were up for grabs this year, leading to a sold-out event and 60,000 tickets sold at a dollar a piece. Each ticket offered the public a chance to win a tree.
“We had 10,000 more tickets and we never dreamed we'd sell out because a lot of people are hurting financially this year,” says Boon-Anderson. But the generosity of the community was evident during the event.
“People are starting to realize this goes back into the community and that it's for our kids and the betterment of this community. People have really stepped up this year.”
Included in this year’s tree display were thousands of dollars in entertainment, gift certificates, electronics, electronics, books, household items and one-of-a-kind items provided by local businesses and groups, she added.
“We had so many generous offerings… we even had some really unique trees,” including a submission that included a chicken coop, said Boon-Anderson.
Weekend experiences
Part of the weekend events at the Bold Center included the Shopping Extravaganza, Christmas family activities, free skating, and catered meals by the Lac La Biche Rotary Club and the Northern Beat Dance Academy. Several fundraisers were also held and photos with Santa was hosted by the Kinette Club of Lac La Biche.
Additionally, the Fabulous North Art Exhibition and Sale, series of artistic displays and activities for families to participate in were held throughout the four-day event by the Lac La Biche Art Club.
Giving back
In the coming months, the Festival of Trees organizers will be calculating the revenue generated from the weekend. With 60,000 tickets sold, there are still many cheques, donations and costs to tally up, said Boon-Anderson.
“It takes a long time to calculate and we understand that. We've given our commitments that by the end of February, the money will be distributed.”
This year, almost 60 organizations, clubs and foundations have participated in selling raffle tickets and will be guaranteed $500 to support their group’s development, she said. Other applications will be processed and money is aimed to be given back to as many groups as possible, she says.
Supporting youth
A regular commitment for the event is donating $10,000 “to feed kids,” she says, along with funds to support art and music programs
“Our vision is also trying to get $1,000 into every school for the arts, not just music… it's the two areas in schools that often have no money.”
Funds are aimed to support helping kids, vulnerable groups, and clubs, she said. Funds are also scheduled to go towards Hope’s Closet at Hope Haven Society, and several food banks in the area this winter, said Boon-Anderson.
“I'm so proud of this community. We all live together. We all help each other. We have tons of different cultural groups and it’s so neat to see everybody coming together to support our community.”
