There are few holiday decorations with as many possibilities for creativity as a Christmas tree. From the classic look with lights, garland, and solid colored ornaments to themed masterpieces; any and all manners of trees were on display at Spring Mill Health Campus’ Festival of Trees.
Starting around Thanksgiving, local businesses and organizations donated decorated Christmas Trees to Spring Mill. They lined their halls and parlors with the creative works that included giant snowmen, small villages, and many other decorations so that residents or visitors could pick their favorites and enter a raffle where the winner would take their chosen tree home. On Tuesday evening they did one final showcase featuring cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before choosing the winners.
“I think what I’m most looking forward to is the expressions on everyone’s face when they win,” said Sheila Debattista, Spring Mill’s Life Enrichment Director. “Plus the residents have already loved it, they feel like every day they get something new to look at Christmas wise. They’re super excited too because they want to win the trees as well!”
All proceeds from the raffle went to the Lake County branch of Relay for Life, which will host their relay on June 1, 2019. Spring Mill jumped at the chance to contribute and sought to bring as many partners as possible in for the Festival of Lights. Altogether, 25 different businesses around the Region donated a tree to the festival. Businesses from insurance agents to hospice care all united under the banner of fighting cancer.
“It’s incredible to have 25 different local businesses be a part of this,” said Cammille Matthias, Volunteer Event Lead for Lake County Relay for Life. “Hopefully by them joining in here, they become part of our ‘Relay Community,’ because we’d love to engage all those cancer survivors and caregivers.”
Part of what made the business community’s engagement so exciting was that the participants all joined in on their own tree decorating after hearing about the event. They held nothing back in their designs, some of the most popular ones included one covered in owls and another that looked like a fashionable dress.
“I think this is a great way to showcase how, especially in our healthcare industry, we’re always trying to partner together,” Kelly Pero-Petty, Spring Mill's Regional Director of Business Development said. “It’s all about supporting one another, and I thought every single one of our donors stepped up to the plate today to do just that.”
To learn more about Spring Mill Health Campus visit springmillhc.com.