Gallagher Bluedorn hosting 34th Festival of Trees

The Gallagher Bluedorn hosts the 34th annual Festival Of Trees on Nov. 18-23. There is a silent auction online that starts on Nov. 11 and continues through Nov. 23. The event is hosted by Mercy One Medical Center.

Brandy Reisinger has been the Mercy One Northeast Iowa gift shop coordinator for three years, a role that includes the Festival of Trees. She said,“Setup for the Gift Shop at the festival takes about two days. Prep for step up takes several weeks. I think the tree designers have several days to complete decoration on trees as well as other setups for events.”

There are new auctions this year, including two vacation packages to Florida and one to Lake of the Ozarks. There are many more new items to bid on. Bidders have to be 18 or older; however, 25 years or older to bid for a vacation package.

Bidders get tickets to vote and put them in boxes next to their favorite trees, wreaths or table settings. Highest bidders win the items

Brandy said that the profit goes to remodeling and new medical equipment to support MercyOne. “All the profit from Gift Shop sales in general go to support Auxiliary projects and scholarships,” she said.

There is also a tree where people write a memory on a piece of paper about a loved one who has passed. Some people write a message to them. Next to the tree, there’s a table with pens and paper with a hole punched out of it. There is also something to hang the paper with.

Brandy said, “I love looking at the trees each year to get new ideas to decorate my trees.”