FESTIVAL OF TREES FAMILY NIGHT DELIGHTS HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN
By ELIZABETH BOWER, Examiner Staff Writer
November 24, 2010
It was time to put away the wine glasses and break out the ice cream Wednesday night at the Festival of Trees.
Fresh off the heels of the gala, during which people dressed in black tie and clinked wine glasses to celebrate the festival that raises money for local health care programs, the Festival of Trees held its popular family night.
Children ate ice cream, decorated gingerbread men and even played mini-golf inside the Memorial Centre, which dimmed its lights to show off the sparkling lights on the many Christmas trees.
Peterborough’s Kathleen Wilson said she has been coming to family night for six years — ever since her daughter Alexis was born — and wouldn’t miss it.
“It’s a great way to spend good quality family time and Christmas is such an important time when you have little ones,” said Wilson, who also brought her four-year-old Aubrie.
The festival’s various events attract about 20,000 people and depend on about 1,500 volunteers to raise money for Hospice Peterborough, the Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation and the Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
It wasn’t known Wednesday how many people showed up for family night but the night was a success based on the crowds, said festival president Norm Smith.
“It’s a high-energy and very busy night with all these kids,” Smith said. “And my favourite part is that there’s free ice cream.”
Christmas songs filled the arena from the live entertainment area where the Adam Scott Rock Choir, Elyse Bruce and Danny Bronson performed.
At the entranceway, there were glassed-in displays of nutcracker dolls and mini-villages as well as a working model train set courtesy of the Peterborough Model Railroads.
Pam Perkins was helping children decorate small felt snowmen mittens, which were to be used as Christmas tree decorations.
The special education teacher at Adam Scott Collegiate said her classes have been busy making the mittens as well as other craft items, such as gingerbread men, for the past month.
This year was a special one for volunteering with the festival, she said, since it was the first time she and her 12-year-old daughter Sarah volunteered together.
At the other end of the arena, Peterborough Scouts leader Craig White was volunteering to help children build wooden spice racks.
Other events included scavenger hunts, raffles and face painting.
NOTE: The festival raised $210,000 for local health care last year. Over two decades, the festival has given local health care initiatives about $4.6 million…. The Festival of Trees plans to honour all of its past presidents during a brief ceremony on auction night on Saturday. The past presidents are: Eloise Bucholtz, Margaret Ellen Disney, Joan Hogan, Carolyn Holmes, Pat Hooper, Diane Johnson, Sharon Lawes, Elizabeth Powell, Cal Taillefer, Carol Corrigan and Jane Dudas.
