Vacation Fundraiser for Providence Seaside Hospital Foundation is Dec. 6

The annual Providence Festival of Trees, a much-beloved group occasion, will return to Seaside for its twenty eighth yr, dressed within the theme of “A Winter’s Dream” to assist individuals ring within the winter holidays in model.

Festival of Trees, co-sponsored by Seaside Safeway, will happen Saturday, Dec. 6, on the Seaside Civic and Convention Center. Not solely does the occasion supply the group a magical winter wonderland that celebrates the vacation spirit, however it’s also a fundraiser for the Providence Seaside Hospital Foundation to assist vital well being care companies and services within the space.

“The Festival of Trees is sort of the first big event of the season,” Foundation Director Kimberly Ward says. It’s one of many solely occasions in the neighborhood throughout this time of yr that’s a proper black-tie affair, and thru every element of the competition, “It just gets people in the spirit for the holidays.”

A Gift to the Community
The occasion kicks off with a free Community Open House from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a chance for the general public to view the festive timber, vote on their favourite for the individuals’s alternative award, take footage with Santa Claus, and take part in a wide range of household pleasant actions.

The upstairs exercise space, previously often called Candy Cane Lane, has been reimagined this yr as Gingerbread Village, resembling a quaint gingerbread group. Some of the actions embrace cookie adorning, face portray, and crafting. Each youngster additionally will obtain a gingerbread plushie to brighten, and so they can go to the Peppermint Hospital to fulfill with suppliers and get well being info.

According to Ward, they’ve been regrowing attendance on the Community Open House for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-pandemic, roughly 1,500 individuals attended on a yearly foundation. Since bringing again the in-person open home in 2023, they’ve been rebuilding yearly, getting as much as 800 attendees final yr.

The open home is free to the general public, and the inspiration is dedicated to not charging for admission, Ward says, including, “We really feel like it’s our gift back to the community.” The solely related price is that if individuals wish to buy images with Santa, that are taken by knowledgeable photographer. The proceeds go on to the photographer to cowl the prices of the prints.

Meanwhile, the gala portion of the competition—a semiformal celebration that includes dinner, music, dwell auctions, and extra—has continued going robust since its inception almost three a long time in the past. Last yr, Ward stated, they raised effectively over $350,000, making it the highest-grossing yr thus far. This yr’s Festival of Trees gala will happen within the night of Saturday, Dec. 6. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Honoring the Steidel Family
As the identify of the occasion implies, the principle attraction of the competition is greater than a dozen timber, donated by native companies and people. Each group elaborately decorates a tree based mostly on a theme that additionally aligns with a bundle or prize that festival-goers can bid on as a part of an public sale through the night gala. The winnings run the gamut of journeys and experiences, in addition to items and present certificates.

According to Ward, the committee is happy with the choice of timber and public sale packages they’ve for this yr. Whereas they usually have recurring themes among the many submissions, this yr, “We’ve got some really fun and interesting new ones we haven’t done before,” she says.

Along with 14 brightly dressed timber, the public sale additionally will embrace a particular piece of artwork from the signature artist, the late Bill Steidel. Steidel, a famend artist who lived and operated a gallery in Cannon Beach, handed away in October 2024, adopted shortly by his spouse, Sally, and son, Sam. The household had an indelible impression on the Cannon Beach group.

“We wanted to do something to honor them,” Ward says, including they reached out to Deb Steidel, Sam’s spouse, to get her enter. “We wanted to know if there was anything left in Bill’s collection that would be appropriate to use as the signature art.”

From just a few originals in a non-public assortment, she chosen one which she thought could be applicable for the competition: a portray titled “Joy on Ice” created in 1985. The old style aura of the imagery, which options group members fortunately skating open air collectively below a vibrant winter sky, captures Steidel’s childhood reminiscences from rising up in New England.

“It’s so classic Bill,” Ward says. Additionally, what makes the portray particularly significant is that it attracts from the identical inspiration and resembles the unique that Bill Steidel created for the Festival of Trees the final time he was featured as a signature artist in 2015. Although “Joy on Ice” is a classic piece—now 40 years outdated—it’s “in beautiful condition,” in response to Ward. As they public sale off the piece, they’ll additionally take the chance to honor the Steidel household.
“I think it’ll be a very meaningful time,” Ward provides.

Raising Funds for Rehabilitation
As at all times, the Festival of Trees will increase funds for a healthcare-related trigger. Proceeds from this yr’s occasion will probably be used to boost rehabilitation companies at Providence Seaside Hospital’s outpatient clinic on U.S. Highway 101 in Gearhart.
In March of this yr, the inspiration’s board of administrators dedicated to a $500,000 capital marketing campaign to boost cash to optimize their rehab clinic services to develop higher area effectivity, assist ongoing skilled training, combine state-of-the-art expertise, and improve dated gear.

“It’s a little bit of a unique fundraising project, in that we’re not just paying for one piece of equipment or a remodel,” Ward says. However, she provides, it would “elevate the level of exceptional care we provide” to the North Coast group. The staff on the outpatient clinic persistently has a few of the highest satisfaction charges within the state based mostly on surveys. “We’re really just wanting to enhance the already great care they provide for patients.”

Going into yr 11 overseeing the competition, Ward remarks on her deep gratitude for the continued assist they’ve acquired from the group over time to assist the inspiration accomplish a number of “amazing projects,” from renovating the emergency division and elevating cash for coronary heart companies to buying much-needed gear and contributing to the most cancers heart. As the inspiration’s solely fundraising occasion, the Festival of Trees performs an enormous function.
“It’s just what brings back our loyal donors and community members and businesses, and it’s such an amazing way to engage and give back to our patients and our community,” Ward says.