Festival of Trees raises $202K

The 33rd-annual Festival of Trees netted $202,000 over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The Olympic Medical Center Foundation produces the event and is its beneficiary.

Five distinct events made up this year’s Festival: opening ceremonies presented by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe; the Gala, presented by First Federal; the Teddy Bear Tea, presented by Erika Ralston Word and Windermere; the Senior Breakfast, presented by Discovery Memory Care, and Family Days — presented by the Lodge at Sherwood Village, the Fifth Avenue and Sherwood Assisted Living.

“The event was extremely successful,” festival chair Mary Hebert said. “Once again, this community showed that it supports advancing healthcare on the Peninsula so that patients can be treated locally.”

A decorated Christmas tree titled "Take Me Back" stands at Vern Burton Community Center in Port Angeles on Saturday after fetching the top bid of $7,500 offered by the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe during Saturday night's Festival of Trees gala auction. The tree, designed by Staci Politik and sponsored by Applebee's Restaurant, included a $2,000 premium gift certificate for home furnishings from Angeles Furniture. More than 40 trees were auctioned off on Friday as a benefit for the Olympic Medical Center Foundation. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

The festival kicked off on Nov. 22 with opening ceremonies that featured a “White Christmas” presentation by Ghostlight Productions. Performers entertained amidst lighting of giant LED-lit giant Christmas ornament displays donated to the OMC Foundation by Microsoft.

“We were extremely other to be the recipient of these displays,” foundation executive director Bruce Skinner said.

“Not only were they used during the Opening Ceremonies, they also served as the entry way to all of our Festival events.”

The Festival held its annual Gala on Nov. 24, when 46 trees were auctioned or raffled off. The Senior Breakfast was held that morning, which was followed by the Teddy Bear Tea on Nov. 25, and Family Days on Nov. 25 and Nov. 26.