Subscribe
Community
Festival decorators pull out all the stops
Hospice of Charles County holds Festival of Trees
Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by SARA K. TAYLOR
The topper for the tree decorated by the Reed family is a railroad crossing sign. The theme of the tree is "Homeward Bound" — fitting with the Festival of Trees theme "Home for the Holidays."
Carly Reed, 13, helps dad, Charles and mom, Lisa, decorate the family's contribution to the Festival of Trees. The family has been involved with the event for about 10 years.
|
E-Mail This Article
Try not to get into the Christmas spirit when walking into a room at the Jaycees center crammed with evergreens.
Christmas music is piped through the sound system but there isn't any time for a sing-along. Decorators are busy surveying their handywork, placing glittery ornaments in bald spots, making sure the blinking lights of a railroad crossing sign are working.
Yes, the only thing standing in the way of designers signed on to whip up creations for the annual Festival of Trees to benefit Hospice of Charles County is their imaginations.
This year's theme — tying into the Hospice House of Charles County project — is Home for the Holidays and the Reed family, after finding an old steamer trunk for a buck or two, decided their tree would be dubbed "Homeward bound" and feature a railroad crossing as a topper. Other ornaments include flickering camp lanterns and stacks of gifts wrapped in brown paper and tied with ribbon.
This is the 10th year the family, including 13-year-old Carly, and her parents, Charles and Lisa, have designed a tree for the event, which raises money for hospice, an organization dedicated to caring for the terminally ill.
"I'm an oncology nurse," said Lisa Reed, who, like her husband, shares a love for the ‘30s and ‘40s time period — when traveling by train was popular. "I see the benefits that hospice provides to families."
A professional prop maker, Charles added that the decorating project is a fun one and the family starts thinking of next year's theme before the current tree is completed.
"You should see our attic," said Lisa, explaining that the family really gets into decorating come the holidays. "We have those big plastic bins full of stuff … our dining room is glitter city."
Across the room, a tiara-topped tree festooned with pink ribbons is completed by the girls of the Miss Maryland Historic pageant.
The pageant's executive director, Caressa Ledford, said the seasonal project is a good lesson for the girls, who range from first- to fourth-graders.
"It's a good thing for the girls," Ledford said. "It teaches them that Christmas is not about getting, it's about giving."
Another bunch of young people, the 4-H Country Clovers, an arts and craft group, was clustered around their tree, wiring cookie cutters on to branches, making sure the chef's hat — employed as a topper — is perfectly crooked.
The group's leader, Wendy Dingus, said the festival is just one of the club's community service projects. Each year, the kids vote on the theme of the tree — "Cookies for Santa" won out this year — and look forward to the festival.
"I liked how we did the cookie cutters," said club member Kaitlyn Olejnik, 13, of Welcome. "We've done this a long time. It's good to help people."
The decorated trees and wreaths provide the holiday backdrop for the annual festival which benefits the programs run by Hospice of Charles County. This year part of the proceeds will go toward the funding of the Hospice House of Charles County, a home for terminally ill patients who cannot return home for various reasons.
Among the festivities scheduled is a dinner and a show featuring hypnotist Jack L. Laurie with music by Eric Scott, a black tie gala, lunch with Santa and the senior citizens luncheon. During the weekend, general admission is open to view the decorations.
See the trees
Hospice Festival of Trees, in partnership with the Waldorf Jaycees, will be open Nov. 27-30 at the Jaycees center, 3090 Crain Highway. Dinner and a show by hypnotist Jack L. Laurie will be at 6:30 p.m. Friday with music by Eric Scott. General admission to view the trees will be 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., with lunch with Santa at 10:30 a.m.-noon or 1-3 p.m. and a black tie gala and silent auction 7:30 p.m.-midnight Nov. 28. General admission and Santa's village will be open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 29 and an invitation only hospice memorial service starts at 4 p.m. From 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 30 it's general admission and a seniors luncheon from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Friends of Hospice House programs with part of the proceeds dedicated to the Hospice House of Charles County project. For more information, call 301-934-1268 or 301-609-TREE or e-mail friends@hospiceofcharlescounty.org.
