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| Courtesy photo Coordinating the many Festival of Trees activities is a group effort. Pictured are most of those overseeing this year's committees. Back row, from left: Curtis Ormesher, Angela Cross, Kayla Dickson, Bonnie Delyea, Andrea Johnston, Chrissy Wortman, Sarah McCracken, Lara Key, Jeanne Atha and Jeanne Norton. Center, from left: Sarah Nielsen, Diane Murray, Lyn Story, Teri Farr, Kim Anderson, Paula Davenport, Jennifer Bean, and Jill Williamson. Front: Tammy Schneider and Jill Moses. Not pictured: Tom Legel, Megan Merry, Dave Nygren, Julia Parmann, Casey Pomerinke, Dr. Cheri Savage, Karen Sines, Katrina Walker and Leza Wright. |
Event scheduled for Nov. 27-30
Santa's not the only one who spends the whole year preparing for Christmas. Nearly 1,000 Festival of Trees volunteers do too.
"Our Festival could not exist without the countless hours of work by our volunteers," Diane Murray, special events coordinator for the Kootenai Health Foundation, said of the annual four-day festival, scheduled for Nov. 27-30.
Proceeds always benefit patient services at Kootenai Health. This year, they'll be directed to Kootenai's cancer centers in Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Sandpoint.
Volunteers share not only their time. They share their talents as decorators, models, photographers, artists, musicians, singers, stage hands, lighting directors, donors, solicitors, ticket takers and a tree delivery service.
Together, they plan and executive the most minute details of such activities as Christmas tree viewings, a senior social, a gala dinner and dance, a family day with crafts for the kids and two fashion shows.
Some, like Jill Moses -- who is organizing this year's fashion shows along with Tammy Schneider -- get involved because they feel a deep indebtedness to Kootenai.
Moses suffered second- and third-degree burns on her left side five years ago when she fell into a large camp fire. After visiting Kootenai's emergency department, she spent the following three weeks undergoing extremely painful but necessary treatments, experiences she said were made more tolerable by Kootenai's caring staff.
From there, she explained: "I made weekly visits for treatment to Dr. Mark Owsley and remained under his care for a full year after the accident. I've seen Kootenai grow and expand services into Post Falls, which is my home. I'm proud to be a part of making that growth happen and seeing Kootenai's continued success.
Teri Farr is Kootenai's vice president of community development and executive director of the Kootenai Health Foundation, which hosts the Festival. She said each year the Festival's 26-member executive volunteer committee focuses on a special event with activities for people of all ages, from small children to seniors.
The Festival, she said, "is the embodiment of Christmas spirit, with our community coming together to assure quality health serves are available to everyone in times of need."
Murray, who for eight years has coordinated Festival events on behalf of the Kootenai Health Foundation, said many volunteers return year after year.
"They know they're an essential part of something bigger than the Festival of Trees," she said, "they're helping us change lives."
