Tree-mendous show of support

A small forest of dressed-up Christmas trees - 89 to be exact, each with its own theme - lit up the Nez Perce County Fair Pavilion Thursday afternoon.

The sea of trees was part of the Tri-State Memorial Hospital Foundation's 33rd annual Festival of Trees - the hospital's largest community fundraiser.

Traditional Christmas trees must not have gotten an invite.

Shotgun shells were used to make a string of red Christmas lights, fake cupcakes served as ornaments hung from fake branches, and a moose family roasted marshmallows over an open fire.

"A lot of people count this as their first tradition of the holiday season; they do it as their give back to the community-owned and -operated hospital," said Polly Knelsen, executive director of Tri-State Memorial Hospital Foundation.

This year, 14 large trees and 75 miniature trees were decorated to benefit the hospital. It's the most trees the event has seen since its inception in 1985, when it kicked-off with about 10 trees in the Tri-State Memorial Hospital parking lot.

Now, the event is a four-day spectacle that includes a family night with holiday crafts for children, and a community day on Thanksgiving. Entrance to both events is by donation.

"Some things have stayed the same - even a few [tree] designers have stayed the same over that many years - but things have just gotten bigger and better," Knelsen said. "And a lot more has been added to under the tree."

She said Wednesday's family night saw more than 5,000 people crowd the pavilion, and more than 40 miniature trees were sold, netting about $1,500 for the foundation that night alone.

"It was the biggest bottleneck you'll ever see in this building," Knelsen said.

The Vintage Style Show and Tea Party, held today at 10 a.m., has sold out the more than 625 seats that are available. The cost of those tickets - $20 per person - also will benefit the foundation.

However, the biggest hospital benefit is planned for Saturday night, when the 14 large trees will be auctioned off during a gala dinner beginning at 6 p.m. in the pavilion.

Knelsen said four of those 14 trees are valued at more than $6,000. She said the way the decorating works is designers are given $1,000 to decorate the tree, then it's up to them to seek out additional donations if they want they to further their tree's get-up.

"Not one of these trees is valued at $1,000," Knelsen said. In recent years, decorations have spilled over from just covering the Christmas trees, to now decorating the tree and also filling the 10 foot-by-10 foot space each designer is allotted.

The decorating boom led to a rule change: Metal tree stands are now required, since the plastic stands were cracking under pressure of the trees and all their bling.

Come Sunday, Knelsen and her husband will deliver the trees and all related paraphernalia to the winning bidders.

To her knowledge, no tree has ever gone unsold.

This year, Knelsen said, her favorite tree is 'Ann's Sweet Treats,' designed by Janelle McRoberts and Jason McRoberts, for Janelle's mother Ann Elder, who died July 1.

The tree and the square it sits in is entirely decorated with cotton candy, ice cream, cupcakes and an assortment of other sweets.

"I'd love to have every tree in my home, but this one holds the most special place in my heart," Knelsen said. "She did it in honor of her mom, who was known for being an amazing cook. I lost my mother a few years ago, and knowing what Janelle went through, what a tribute this is to her."

As of Thursday afternoon, Knelsen said 'Ann's Sweet Treats' was leading by a landslide when it came to votes for the children's choice award.

Audra Stewart, a former tree designer who has worked for Tri-State Memorial Hospital for 26 years, purchased a miniature tree Thursday afternoon.

"I always support my hospital," Stewart said. "I just enjoy the Christmas feel, and the trees are beautiful." The tree she picked came with a basket, blanket and pillow.

The mini trees are individually priced and range in cost from $20 to $200.

Kathy Smoliniski of Lewiston also walked out with a miniature tree and some antlers Thursday.

She said she's going to use the tree to add some holiday spirit to her office.

Last year's Festival of Trees raised more than $118,000 for Tri-State Memorial Hospital and the foundation.

In the past two years, the foundation has contributed more than $600,000 to the hospital for a wound healing hyerbaric chamber, retinavue scanners, an ICU cardiac monitoring upgrade, and a renal dialysis blood pressure monitoring system.

Knelsen said there is no set money goal for this year's event, but added the four-day fundraiser couldn't be put on without the more than 300 volunteers that participate and Misty Parks, the foundation's special events coordinator.

Babcock may be contacted at jbabcock@lmtribune.com or at (509) 339-3423.