Festival of Trees goes virtual
Published 12:00 pm Friday, December 4, 2020
- Two fluffy owls peer from a wreath created by Janeen Reding, which was auctioned off virtually during the 2020 Pendleton Festival of Trees. A fundraiser for the CHI St. Anthony Hospital Foundation, people can register for this year’s virtual event, which is Dec. 4, 2021.
PENDLETON — Most years, the Festival of Trees is a gala affair.
Typically, an auction of artfully adorned trees accompanies dinner, drinks, music and dancing. This time around, COVID-19 had other ideas.
On Saturday, Dec. 5, one can bid on an assortment of trees, wreaths, gift baskets and other items during a virtual auction from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. using a portal from the St. Anthony Hospital website. After signing up, bidders get access to the virtual auction hall where they can inspect this year’s lineup. Proceeds go to the St. Anthony Hospital Foundation.
Foundation director Emily Smith said the hospital hopes to raise $30,000 at the virtual auction, enough to purchase two new glidescopes, which help health care providers see a patient’s airway during endotracheal intubation via a special video camera.
Different organizations began decorating their trees on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at the Pendleton Convention Center. On the west side of the main room, Carol Farrow, Therese Farrow and Laura Gauthier decorated a tree with ornaments crafted by artists from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Standing on a ladder, Carol placed the tree topper, a young boy doing a traditional native dance.
After climbing down the ladder, she urged people to take part in the auction, saying the hospital plays a huge role in the community, including the reservation.
“Everybody uses the hospital,” she said. “Our tribal people use the hospital. Everyone needs to donate in some way, shape or form.”
She said the tree contains around $2,000 in ornaments and other items.
On the north side of the room, Janeen Reding put finishing touches on an owl-themed wreath she created; Reding is the hospital’s vice president of human resources. Two fluffy owls perched in the wreath seemed to peer at Reding as she worked.
Around the room, other people fussed over additional trees, wreaths and gift baskets. Most of the trees included assortments of items arranged artfully around their bases.
Smith said the auction lineup includes six large trees, 10 small trees, 10 wreaths and about 20 gift baskets. She said large trees will be delivered the day after the event within a 30-mile radius of Pendleton. All other items can be picked up on Sunday, Dec. 6, between 8 a.m. and noon.
