LAC LA BICHE - For more than a decade, a locally-grown idea to create a fun, festive and family-friendly event has branched out into a massive community fundraiser that has given back an estimated quarter million dollars to area groups — and put smiles on thousands of faces.
What started as a little idea by a few local residents to bring some Christmas cheer with a few decorated trees and a small raffle, the annual Lac La Biche Winter Festival of Trees has grown to become one of the community's largest fundraisers.
The Festival of Trees will take over the Lac La Biche Bold Center from Nov. 24 to 27.
Now celebrating 14 years, the annual event will see the Bold Center's Community Room filled with dozens of decorated trees, the Bold Center fieldhouses filled with Christmas events, crafts, fun and games, as other events will spill-over into other areas of the community as the Festival continues to grow.
Co-coordinator and co-founder of the annual event Pat Boon Anderson says behind the twinkling lights and festive events, there has been a core group of volunteers working, planning and adapting to make each year a new version.
"This is a magical time of year, and the universe must have heard their prayers..."
Festival of Trees coordinator Pat Boon-Anderson describing part of a heart-warming local story from last year's tree raffle.
"Every year we brainstorm which 'age group' needs something more to participate in - which non-profit group have we not involved yet, what new activity could we bring so we could expand, what was last year's feedback and what needed to be changed?" said Boon-Anderson, explaining that behind it all is the fundamental need to support local groups and the community's less fortunate. "How could we make more money to then be able to turn around and give out more money.The LLB Festival of Trees exists to provide funds to support children and youth organizations and non-profit organizations in the Lac La Biche County while providing free-family-fun events and an environment for students to volunteer and develop their citizenship skills."
The list of activities for this year's event is huge. The namesake tree raffle will see 60,000 tickets available this year, there will be a dance and supper, a movie night, a Sunday brunch and seniors' tea, a learn-to-curl event in the curling rink, free skating, free swimming, an art display, a craft and home business market, food concessions, visits from Santa, a Saturday shuttle bus service, music ... "there's just so much going on. There's something for everyone," said Boon Anderson.
Brightening the season
And while the event is a large-scale community success — like a single twinkling light bulb that catches the eye, there are many individual successes within all those moving parts.
"One wonders after a few years of doing this why we keep going, because it really is a lot of work — Well, its because of wonderful stories that come back to you about how this event has helped," said Boon-Anderson
Last year, at least one of the raffled trees brought much needed light to a local family going through dark times.
"One story is about a family who had just lost a parent and the medical expenses had overloaded their budget," said Boon-Anderson, explaining that the surviving parent was struggling to find ways to provide for their children through Christmas. "The parent left behind didn't know how they would give their children a happy Christmas."
Opting to give a few dollars to the Festival fundraiser to help others, the family purchased raffle tickets and took in the event, placing tickets in several donated trees filled with gifts.
"This is a magical time of year, and the universe must have heard their prayers, as their ticket was pulled, and a wonderful Christmas was had by this family," Boon-Anderson said. "It's those kinds of stories, and the smiles on faces that make the event so special for everyone."
This year's tree raffle is expected to have more than 50 trees on display. With more local groups and businesses donating the trees each year, organizers have once again decided to dedicate the entire Community Room to the tree displays.
Schedule and tickets
"My prediction is that we will have MORE trees than 55," said Boon-Anderson, encouraging anyone wishing to decorate and donate trees to contact organizers through the event's social media pages.
Raffle tickets will be available in selective batches in the days leading up to the Festival opening. A schedule of times and locations can be found on the Lac La Biche Festival of Trees social media pages.
Again this year, the opening day of the Festival of Trees will coincide with the Lac La Biche Light Up the Night event in the downtown core. The Light Up event will see the lighting of a giant Christmas tree, a Main Street parade and some late night shopping promotions.
A full listing of events and the Festival of Trees schedule can also be found on the event's social media pages and at www.lakelandtoday.ca
