A6
COMMUNITY
East Oregonian
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Festival of Trees sprouts holiday spirit
Revamped event
off ers festive fun
By TAMMY
MALGESINI
East Oregonian
HER MISTON — A
reimagined Festival of Trees
2021 is planned in Hermiston.
The event is Saturday, Dec. 4,
at the Hermiston Community
Center, 415 S. Highway 395.
“It’s an important part
of kicking off the holiday
season,” said Liz Marvin,
event co-chair. “I’m excited
about it because we’re fi nding
a way to have Festival of Trees
this year where we couldn’t
have it last year.”
Festival organizers were
riding high in 2019 — tickets
for the 25th annual gala dinner
and auction sold out within
three days. And then things
went dark in 2020 because
of COVID-19 restrictions.
As ideas were pondered for
the 2021 event, plans focused
on providing a safe event for
many to enjoy.
Julie Puzey, publicity
chair, said overall attendance
in previous years was limited
due to the number of tables
available. This year, with
time slots for the viewing of
trees and holiday items, shop-
ping and placing bids, they are
able to increase the number of
people who can come through
the doors. In addition, by
dropping the ticket price, it
makes attending more aff ord-
able.
Ticket costs and time slots
include: 2-3 p.m., family hour,
$25/per family; 3-4 p.m., indi-
viduals, $20/per person; and
4-5 p.m., 5-6 p.m. or 6-7 p.m.,
adults 21 and older, $20/per
person (includes wine tast-
ing). Tickets are available at
the Hermiston Chamber of
Lukes Photos/Contributed Photo
A large tree features an outdoor theme during the 2019 Hermiston Festival of Trees. This year’s event is Dec. 4, 2021, at the
Hermiston Community Center.
Commerce, 630 S. Highway
395, or by calling 541-567-
6151.
Puzey is especially opti-
mistic about this year’s festi-
val. While it’s diff erent, she
said those in attendance will
be amazed to see what people
in the community have
created.
“The trees and wreaths
and stockings are exquisite,
creative and fun,” she said.
“There is so much creativity
and imagination and artistic
skill, plus the generosity of
the sponsors and those in the
community who donate stuff
that goes under the trees.”
Cathy Wamsley, large tree
coordinator, said the displays
will appeal to a wide audi-
ence. Men, women and chil-
dren all will fi nd something
fun with themes such as the
outdoors, fi shing, Christmas
at home and Bohemian rhap-
sody. In addition, there will
be smaller table top trees, as
well as wreaths, stockings and
holiday gift baskets.
Also, guests will have
the opportunity to win with
the Day of 100 Gifts. Every
15 minutes, winners will be
announced — gifts include
everything from coff ee from
Honduras and See’s Candies
to wine and Christmas decor.
Bids also accepted
online, via text
“We want people to come
and see all the hard work of the
decorators and sponsors but
people can bid without attend-
ing the event,” Marvin said.
Items can be purchased
with either an online winning
bid or with the “buy it now”
feature. A computer link
will be available on the event
Facebook page or text “Joy”
to 71760.
In addition to browsing,
people can read a descrip-
tion of items and place bids.
Online/text bidders will be
notified right away if they
are outbid and may click to
bid again, or they can set an
“auto bid” with a maximum
amount.
A special Giving Tree,
Wamsley said, will bene-
fit the Hermiston School
District and Hermiston Parks
and Recreation second grade
swim program. Toys beneath
the tree, which are donated
by Hapo Community Credit
Union, will be distributed
through the Hermiston
Police Christmas Express
program. And this year’s
Caring Community donation
will help support the bicy-
cle helmet program at Good
Shepherd Health Care System.
While this year’s event
won’t include a catered meal,
organizers are working with
restaurants in the commu-
nity to off er special Festival
of Trees discounts. People are
encouraged to make plans to
eat out before or after the event
in support of local businesses.
Information about participat-
ing eateries will be posted
on the event’s Facebook and
Instagram pages.
Event organizers — Good
Shepherd Community Health
Foundation and the Herm-
iston Kiwanis Club — have
provided funding support
to more than 150 programs
and projects in the commu-
nity. For more information,
search Instagram @festivalof-
treeshermiston or visit www.
facebook.com/HermistonFes-
tivalofTrees.
Pendleton to
hold virtual
Festival of
Trees
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — The
2021 Pendleton Festi-
val of Trees will be held
virtually on Saturday,
Dec. 4. The event serves
as a fundraiser for the
CHI St. Anthony Hospi-
tal Foundation.
Pictures and descrip-
tions of items up for bid
may be available for view-
ing the evening prior, said
Emily Smith, the hospi-
tal’s director of market-
ing and communications.
People are encouraged
to visit the website to
set up an account or
they may use their exist-
ing “Greater Giving”
account, if they have one.
Shoppers can utilize a
computer, smartphone or
tablet to make online bids.
To r eg ist e r, v isit
s a h f o t 2 0 21. g g o . b i d /
bidding/package-browse
a n d cl ick o n “ G e t
Started.” Bidding will
close Dec. 4 at 8 p.m.
In addition to six large
trees, which will be beau-
tifully decorated with an
array of gifts underneath,
there will be 10 smaller
trees, 10 wreaths and
numerous gift baskets.
For more information,
call 541-278-2627 or visit
www.www.sahpendle-
ton.org and click “Foun-
dation.”
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian, File
Two fl uff y owls peer from a wreath created by Janeen Reding, which was auctioned off virtually during the 2020 Pendleton Fes-
tival 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.
st
Adopted
or
Rescue
Pet
e
t
u
C photo contest
GOLD SPONSORS
Community Bank
SILVER SPONSORS
Alive and Well PPP
CHI St. Anthony Hospital
Corteva Agriscience
Desire For Healing Inc
Hill Meat Company
Northeast Oregon Water Association
OSU Extension Service- Umatilla County
RE/MAX Cornerstone
Rick’s Car Wash
Tum-A-Lum Lumber
Western Radiator
BRONZE SPONSORS
Submit your photos and be entered for your chance
to win a $30 gift certificate to a local
restaurant of your choice
View Rules and Prize information at
eastoregonian.com/pet_contest
A & G Property Management & Maintenance
Blue Mountain Community College
Coldwell Banker Whitney & Associates, Inc,
Davita Blue Mountain Kidney Center
DuPont Pioneer HiBred Research Center
Jeremy J Larson DMD LLC
Kelly Lumber Supply Inc
Kiks Golf Center
Kirby Nagelhout Construction Co.
Kopacz Nursery & Florist
Landmark Tax Services
McEntire Dental
Mid Columbia Bus Co
NW Metal Fabricators Inc
Rob Merriman Plumbing & Heating Inc
The RBH Group LLC
The Saddle Restaurant and Lounge
Willowbrook Terrace
OTHER SPONSORS
Barhyte Specialty Foods
Umatilla Electric Cooperative
CMG Financial
Duchek Construction
Episcopal Church of the Redeemer
Hermiston Public Library
Hodgen Distributing
Pendleton KOA
Starvation Ridge Farming, LLC
Sun Terrace Hermiston
Want to see you name here? Call 541-276-2211