Annual Festival of Trees 'Share the Joy' fundraiser returns to in-person event
The University Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees will welcome back guests to the in-person fundraiser Dec. 2 to 6 at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
Last year, the event was closed to the public due to COVID-19 health restrictions. The fundraiser moved online where people were able to view the trees and bid on silent auction items from home.
- 2020 Festival of Trees a virtual success: organizers
- $500 50/50 jackpot up for grabs as annual Festival of Trees goes virtual
“Although moving to a virtual event last year was the right decision, and we saw our community members step up and continue to support us, we know that it was not the same as celebrating the holidays together in person. We are ready to come back safely, and be better than ever,” said President and CEO of the University Hospital Foundation, Dr. Jodi L. Abbott.
The theme for the fundraiser is “Share the Joy” – centred on community, inclusivity, and celebration. Abbott said the theme is about bringing the people of Edmonton together. Following safety guidelines, the Festival of Trees will feature four public events and three special events:The Gala Evening and Auction, Santa’s Breakfast and the Silver Bell Soiree, to support healthcare for Albertans.
Severe kidney disease is on the rise in Alberta, said a statement by the UHF. Money raised at the event will help support the expansion of the West Kidney Care at the U of A hospital. Adding a Home Therapy Clinic, the money raised will create a rental centre in Edmonton.
During a 35-year history, the festival has raised over $22 million for the University of Alberta Hospital, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and Kaye Edmonton Clinic.
“Past support has had a major impact on every area of healthcare provided at the University of Alberta Hospital site, including funding advanced life support equipment and the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, the University of Alberta Hospital’s Stroke Ambulance, and Alzheimer’s disease research,” said Abbott.
Tickets for the event will go on sale in September.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.