Christmas Tree Festival helps hospital
By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on November 19, 2024.
Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Crystal Elliot, CEO of the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation speaks to reporters about their 30th anniversary Christmas Tree Campaign Monday at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena.LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com
The Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary of their Christmas Tree Festival which continues to help fund state of the art equipment for the hospital.
Crystal Elliot, CEO of the CRH Foundation, said Monday the annual fundraiser is the event that helps them raise the most money for the foundation every year.
“This year is our 30th year. We’re celebrating in tribute to Norah Hahn, who started this fundraiser for the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation in 1994. She was a board member who had gone to visit on vacation and came back and started this for Lethbridge,” said Elliot.
She said she finds it very inspiring that 30 years later the event is still taking place and how much community support they continue to receive.
“This fundraiser raises approximately $160,000 to $170,000 a year that’s going right back into our community for state-of-the-art equipment, special projects and programs for the Chinook Regional Hospital,” said Elliot.
She said she is grateful for the volunteers, staff and sponsors that have been working hard for the last few days to make the event come together.
“The decorators decorated the trees yesterday, spent a long intensive day, but some of them actually plan for years ahead of time to be able to gather all of their decorations,” said Elliot.
She said to recognize the effort of everyone they celebrate them by sharing the trees with the public through a free viewing that took place Monday and also today from noon until 8 p.m. at the VisitLethbridge.com arena.
“On Wednesday, we’re going to culminate with the Christmas Tree Gala. And tickets are available at crhfoundation.ca for $125 per ticket,” said Elliot.
 She said those in attendance can expect to have appetizers, drinks, be able to mingle and visit and look at all of the beautiful trees before they get auctioned off.
“This year we have 30 live auction items in celebration of our 30th Christmas Tree Festival and 50 silent auction items to be able to bid on,” said Elliot.
About 4,000 attendees visit the festival each year and last year, the CRH Foundation raised more than $170,000, which allowed them to invest back into the hospital to benefit members of the community and across southern Alberta that rely on the Chinook Regional Hospital for their healthcare needs.
“Over the last year, off the top of my head, some of the pieces that we’ve purchased is the Zeus microscope, which enhances state-of-the-art cataract surgery, Stryker stretchers, Mental health and a Lumenera microscope, which is also for eye surgery,” said Elliot.
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This year’s event, featuring basket random auctions and community support, aims to enhance hospital facilities and services, demonstrating the power of local fundraising initiatives.