Festival Of Trees Is Friday
Ready or not, its time for the Community Festival of Trees Charity Tree Auction. This year’s event, which promises to be bigger and better than ever, will be held 7-10 p.m. at the Wetzel County Mollohan Center on Nov. 16. Doors open at 6 p.m. This year’s event will feature live music by the REMEDY, along with a 50/50 raffle, a blind “Pack the Can” auction, crazy sock contest, and plenty of fun, music, and laughter – all while providing help to local community organizations.
The Community Festival of Trees is now its own 501c3 organization. This year’s event will benefit Journey Hospice, New Martinsville Lions Club, and Valley High School Sportsman’s Club. The event began in 2015, and during its first two years, raised more than $10,000 for local charities. During its 2017 run, the Community Festival of Trees brought in more than $7,000. The 2017 charities – Friends of Paden City Pool, Grow Local Go Local, and Wetzel County Hope and Memories each yielded $2,442.27.
Each year the charitable event has grown, and this year is no different. Organizers and persons from each of this year’s charities sold refreshments at the Back Home Appalachian Arts & Music Festival. They also held a “paint n’ sip” event, as well as hosted a quarter auction. These endeavors have allowed Festival of Trees organizers to raise more than a third of the funds raised in last year alone. The quarter auction itself raised $3727.80. All funds raised, after costs to hold the Nov. 16 event, will go toward this year’s charities.
The Community Festival of Trees also wishes to recognize Brenda Botizan, for allowing the use of her window for advertising purposes.
The highlight of the Community Festival of Trees Nov. 16 event itself features the auction of several trees, decorated by local businesses and organization. This year’s trees were decorated by the following: Paw Spa, State Farm (Lisa Shepherd), C&C Designs, City Wide Insurance and Real Estate, Tonia Alleman, Wetzel County Hope and Memories, Journey Hospice, Charlie Brown, Valley High School Sportsman’s Club, Wetzel County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Michelle Toman, Wetzel County Democratic Women, DCT Construction, and Wetzel-Tyler-Marshall Labor Council.
The trees will be on display at the New Martinsville Municipal Building until Nov. 16, the day of the event. Residents will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite tree, via penny vote. The money garnered from the votes is distributed to the three charities for the year, while the Peoples Choice winner has bragging rights.
The Nov. 16 event will feature a “pack the can blind auction,” 50/50 drawing, music, dancing, and plenty of fun and laughs for everyone.
The event is BYOB, and participants are encouraged to bring their own refreshments. This allows more of the funds raised to go toward the charities themselves. However, Coke and Sprite will be provided.
Tickets are $15 each; with the attendance of 100 people at the event, an additional $500 will be given away to the charity of a person’s choice. The person will be selected by random drawing of names of those in attendance.
To help out the Community Festival of Trees with its endeavors, or purchase tickets, contact Terri Tyler at 304-771-5168, Linda Barth at 304-266-5904, or Fran Caldwell at 304-455-5092.