Festival of Trees lights up the holiday season
Joel Martin/Columbia Basin Herald Attendees look over the offerings and evidently like what they see at the 24th annual Habitat for Humanity Festival of Trees.
Joel Martin/Columbia Basin Herald The tree donated by Moses Lake Presbyterian Church brought with it a few of the donors’ (and hopefully the buyer’s) favorite things.
Joel Martin/Columbia Basin Herald Besides the auctioned prizes, there was also an array of wreaths up for raffle at the Festival of Trees Saturday night.
MOSES LAKE — The overhead lights were dimmed, but the 4-H Building at the Grant County Fairgrounds was alive with twinkling, inviting lights for the 24th annual Festival of Trees, the fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Moses Lake.
Around 140 people were there to enjoy a dinner catered by Michael’s on the Lake and place their bids for magnificently decorated Christmas trees with presents beneath them to please any taste. There was a tree donated by Friends of Habitat that was decorated in wintry blue, silver and white and surrounded by car care items. Another, donated by Guild Mortgage, was labeled “Comfy and Cozy Are We.” Beneath its boughs nestled a giant stuffed animal, stockings, hot cocoa makings and other things to enjoy next to a Christmas fire.
Samaritan Healthcare’s contribution was described as “safe and kid-friendly” and was festooned with crayons, toys and puzzles.
Not everything that was up for auction was in the form of a tree. A sturdy metal bench with a Seahawks motif was on the block, created by Lucilla Anderson from materials donated by Genie Industries. There was also an array of wreaths to raffle off at $10 a ticket. Selena Martinez of Washington Trust Bank, a first-time volunteer, sold tickets for the raffle. Wreath No. 2 was especially popular, so Martinez herself put her tickets on No. 6, which had fewer takers.
The one thing all the items had in common was that they were poised to bring in money to support Habitat for Humanity’s ministry in the coming year. The amount of money raised wasn’t available by press time, said co-president Shelly Detrick.
Chris Voigt, director of the Washington State Potato Commission, served as the master of ceremonies for the evening. Chuck Yarbro Jr., a fixture at charitable auctions in the Basin, delivered the rapid-fire patter that sold the trees. And the blessing over dinner, in keeping with Habitat’s Christian orientation, was delivered by Pastor Eric Frey of Moses Lake Presbyterian Church.
The Golden Hammer award was presented to Wade Sackett of S&K Service, who has worked on Habitat’s last three houses, Detrick said.
An emotional part of the evening came when Madison Jennings, whose Habitat house is nearing completion, spoke to the crowd about how much her new home meant to her and her family. Jennings, who has a son and a daughter, expressed special thanks to retired contractor Terry Hall, whom she credited with teaching her how to work on her house, as well as to the Habitat community at large.
“It was so overwhelming to think that she’s a single mom, she’s going to college to get her bachelor’s degree, her life is full and busy, but she’s done it,” Detrick said. “I mean, she has found the strength through God and grace to do what was asked of her and kept a gracious spirit to everybody who helped her.”
“I was in tears,” she added.