How do people in this city show their love for the Festival of Trees?
Jessica Aldred and her staff at Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation are still counting the ways.
Two days after the 19th annual event wrapped up at the Civic Centre the money continued to pour in. The count has now reached more than $550,000, a record amount for the Festival of Trees.
"It was incredible, very inspiring, the community's generosity in supporting it was energizing," said Aldred. "There's a huge sense of appreciation in the office right now from all the support."
Aldred arrived in Prince George from Vancouver two months ago to take on her position as the foundation's chief executive officer, and like most people who attended Friday evening's live auction, which raised $310,000, Aldred was blown away by the support it received.
"People were on their feet cheering Friday night as some of the large trees were auctioned off and I think everybody in the room felt great," said Aldred.
Of that $550,000 total, $103,000 was raised to buy a mini C-arm for orthopedic surgery at UHNBC. The rest will be allocated for priority projects identified by Northern Health and UHNBC.
The organizing committee rounded up 350 volunteers to make the nine-day Festival of Trees happen, tapping into a spirit that is the lifeblood of the event.
"I couldn't have conceived of the incredible amount of volunteer time that goes into festival, the sense of responsibility and care that all the volunteers take on is just amazing," said Aldred.
"I've only been here a couple months, but what I'm observing is this deep sense of care in the community about the north. People care about their families and neighbours and this is a great opportunity to become involved, whether as a volunteer as a donor or as a sponsor. So many people stood up and became involved."
Aldred is looking forward to the next fundraising event on the foundation's calendar -- the Boogie With the Stars dinner and dance on New Year's Eve at the Civic Centre, with Elvis impersonator Steve Elliott. Tickets are $85.
