By Layna I Hafer, Manager of Community Relations and Marketing at Weiser Memorial Hospital
The 30th Annual Weiser Festival of Trees is celebrating a record-breaking year having raised $41,000 to benefit Weiser Memorial Hospital. The Festival of Trees is orchestrated by an 11-member volunteer board, who work throughout the year raising money for the hospital’s equipment and technology upgrades, and improvements to the facility. In all 264 people attended the Festival of Trees Gala which raised $30,000 through the live tree auction, silent auctions, gala tickets and cash donations. Additional funds were generated through sponsorships and Friday sales. “This year was really one of our best festivals to date. Weiser’s community spirit always shines bright when it comes to supporting the hospital. Our board of directors, hospital employees, Friends of the Hospital, community volunteers, event sponsors, silent auction donors and tree decorators made our success possible. We can’t thank them enough,” Weiser Memorial Hospital Foundation Executive Director, Casey Clark Ney, said. “In addition, the Foundation was blessed with a tremendous amount of sponsorship support including large donations from The Kissler Family Foundation, St. Luke’s Health System and Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Ontario.” Some funds raised at the event have already been put to use purchasing items requested by hospital employees including an IV Training Arm for nursing staff, equipment for patient rooms, and surgical equipment. In addition, the Foundation donated $16,000 to the hospital for the purchase of lab equipment. As the Festival of Trees continues to grow in its popularity, the Foundation explores opportunities to expand the event. New additions to the week’s agenda on Friday of festival week included a silent auction and Christmas store. “We want to give everyone a chance to participate in the festival and tie it even closer to the community,” Ney said. “This will be done by expanding the activities of the week. In the future I think you will see more shopping opportunities, more time during the week for the public to view trees, and more social gathering events associated with the festival.” The 31st Annual Weiser Festival of Trees will take place the last week of November 2017. More information on the festival and this year’s participants, or to view pictures of the trees, visit weisermemorialhospital.org.
