Festival Of Trees Opens Today

The 2004 Festival of Trees opens today and continues through Sunday at Town Center Mall. Designers' Choice awards were announced Tuesday. People's Choice awards are determined by those attending the event who give a penny a vote for their favorite tree. The event benefits the Health Care Foundation, which provides the following assistance programs: ParentShare, Care Connection, BABE and PUENTE: Hispanic Outreach.

Lowell Owens, president of the board of directors of the Health Care Foundation, said, "We enjoy doing this for the community, and it's the Foundation's only fund-raising event. All proceeds from the silent auction trees and the sales of wreaths and other decorations go to support the Foundation."

Winners of Designers' Choice awards include: first place, "Let It Snow," designed by Heather Batalis, a community giving tree sponsored by National City Bank; second place, "Over the River and Through the Woods," designed by Laurie Kerr; and third place, "All Nature Sings," designed by Cheryl O'Halloran. O'Halloran also designed and she and her husband, Dr. Richard O'Halloran, donated several centerpieces and mantelpieces to be sold during the event.

There are a total of 28 trees on display, exhibiting a wide variety of themes. Raffle tickets will be sold for one tree, "All Nature Abounds," designed by Deb Conley, and a wreath donated by the Village Florist, Syracuse. Both are on display as you enter the Festival.

Sponsors include, Diamond level: DePuy, a Johnson & Johnson Co.; Sapphire: Kosciusko Community Hospital; Platinum: Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission, Medtronic Sofamor Danek and Mutual Federal Saviungs Bank; Gold, Biomet Inc. and Owens & Co.; Silver: Copper River Cabinet Co., Grossnickle Eye Center, Dr. and Mrs. Richard O'Halloran, Lake City Bank, Key Bank, Rockhill, Pinnick LLP and Zimmer Inc.

The 10 Community Giving Trees are sponsored by community businesses and will be donated to needy families in the Kosciusko County area. Sponsors include: Crownover Jewelers, Key Bank, Miller's Merry Manor, National City Bank, Owens & Co. PC, Prickett's Properties Inc., Rockhill, Pinnick LLP, Spring Community Relations Team, Warsaw Women's Center and Wawasee Boat Co.

The Town Center Mall is at 119 E. Center St., at the corner of East Center and Market streets in downtown Warsaw. General admission will be from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from noon until 6 p.m. Sunday. While admission to the Festival of Trees is free, donations are welcomed.

The Festival also includes a visit with Santa Saturday at the Town Center Mall, and the Ladies Tea Dec. 1 at Miller's Merry Manor Assisted Living. For more information, call 574-268-2273.