Staff
The “Festival of Trees” silent auction wrapped up Saturday at the Fine Line Art Gallery here, raising a total of $752 for the Fort Frances Kiwanis Club and local Chamber of Commerce.
“I think that the event was very successful,” said Samantha Manty, business and events development assistant intern for the Chamber.
“There was a lot of people who came out and enjoyed seeing the trees, and taking in the festivities of the event,” she noted.
“I’d say that for a first year, it was great,” Manty enthused.
“And I think that it’ll continue to grow in the future hopefully now that people have a better understanding of what the ‘Festival of Trees’ is.”
A total of 14 local businesses and groups decorated and donated trees for the silent auction.
They included NCDS Career Works and Greg Mattson, The Denture Clinic, Leon’s, Community Living Fort Frances and District/Good Impressions Printing, Fort Floral, the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre, and the Muskie boys’ hockey team.
They were joined by Gillons’ Insurance, the Valley Adult Learning Association, From the Grind Up, the Cabin Country Quilt Guild, Smashing Tea (who were on hand Saturday to serve up free samples), the Fine Line Art Gallery, and the Chamber.
Bidding began Nov. 25 and ended at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
“In the end, we had a few trees that went for around $100 so those were really good,” noted Manty.
“There were some trees that got a bit of money but we ended up making $752,” she added, noting this total will be split between the Kiwanis and Chamber.
The “Festival of Trees” also included voting for a fan favourite. The wooden tree made by NCDS and Mattson captured the honour.
Manty gave special thanks to the Fine Line Art Gallery.
“It was a really good partnership,” she lauded.
“The ladies at the gallery were very helpful with the event and I think that it was nice to have an extra flow of traffic going through there.
“I think they were happy. I was happy,” added Manty.
“It was really nice working with them.”
In related news, the Chamber of Commerce held the judging for its “Deck the Stores, Windows and Doors” window-decorating contest Friday.
The winner was NCDS Career Works, which earned a certificate and little snowman for their creativity.
Other competitors included the Fort Frances Times, Northwoods Gallery & Gifts, McTaggarts, Leon’s, Fort Floral, and Lowery’s Northland Basics.
