Kootenai Health Foundation's 2024 Festival of Trees to benefit women, babies

COEUR d'ALENE — Early Friday morning, Nicole Jacklin was waiting in a Black Friday line with her daughter to grab specific and highly sought after items.

"Taylor Swift released 'The Anthology' album on vinyl (Friday) morning at 6 a.m. as well as her 'Eras Tour' book. She released it only at Target," Jacklin said. "My daughter and I stood at 5:30 and we were the first ones in the door. We went and got both of them — the vinyl had sold out, but I ran into a guy who had five and he gave me two, so I got one for myself."

These Swiftie-centric items have been placed under the "Folklore Christmas" tree display sponsored by Berkshire Hathway in the Kootenai Health Foundation's 36th annual Festival of Trees at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.

Jacklin's mom, Deb Mongeau, began the tradition of decorating trees for the festival when she and a friend did one 17 years ago.

Four years into it, Jacklin entered the contest.

"She competed with me and did a tree," Mongeau said. "We were right next to each other, which had her father running back and forth between the trees putting stuff up."

This is now their 12th year working on trees together and their fourth with Berkshire Hathway sponsoring.

"It almost makes us tear up," Mongeau said. "This is our favorite day of the year; we look forward to it all year long. Nicole always comes up with phenomenal ideas. I trust whatever she comes up with because I trust she's going to make it work no matter what."

Jacklin's sister, Megan Mongeau, was also credited for bringing the Swift-tastic display to life.

"She and Megan, they could see it. They knew exactly what they wanted, and they did a beautiful job," Deb Mongeau said.

Proceeds from the 2024 Festival of Trees will provide upgrades for women's imaging and the neonatal intensive care unit.

Cara Nielsen, president of the Kootenai Health Foundation, said the goal is to move the women's imaging area into its own space.

"It will have six rooms, and it will be decorated with a focus on patient experience, so it will have a spa-like feel, with new robes and all the decorations," she said.

The funds will help pay for new equipment that will allow for 16,000 more breast cancer screenings to be conducted per year.

The NICU will also receive equipment upgrades.

Jacklin said it was special for herself, her mom and her sister to make this display that will be raffled off to support women and babies. 

"We struggled with a baby that was in NICU, so we understand that, and it was at Kootenai, luckily," Jacklin said. "My pregnancy was such a struggle, and we were at the Festival of Trees Gala when we found out the baby would survive. So then we bought a tree (which included tickets) to Hawaii and we celebrated."

Twenty trees have been lavishly trimmed and topped, available for the public to view during Friday d'Lights and up for grabs during the live tree auction that will take place at tonight's Festival Gala.

The 2023 event broke records by netting over $550,000 for the hospital.

"And we sold out earlier this year," Nielsen said. "I'm anticipating a great, generous crowd."

    Pam Griffith adds snow fluff to the trees in Santa's Winter Wonderland as displays are decorated Friday for the Festival of Trees in The Coeur d'Alene Resort. The Festival Gala is tonight.
  

    A guitar signed by Taylor Swift is among the treasures to be found in the displays at the Kootenai Health Foundation's Festival of Trees, which opened Friday in The Coeur d'Alene Resort with the Friday d'Lights event and continues tonight with the Festival Gala.