Two weeks to Festival, Trees coming together

The holiday season is here. There's snow on the ground. Thanksgiving is next week. The Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line's Festival of Trees is the week after that, and all of this year's participants are getting ready.

Aside from being for the benefit of local non-profit organization for children, many of the people that signed up are using the decorating of Christmas trees for charity as an excuse to get together with family, friends and co-workers.

The Bureau of Land Management decorators are having a potluck tonight to get their tree ready for the auction on Dec. 3 at Holiday Village Mall.

Karen Vosen is getting together with a walking group she and her friends started several years ago, to donate a large collection of things.

Vosen said she appreciates what the Boys & Girls Club does, and will do for her young grandsons.

"I've got two little grandsons that will probably be involved later," Vosen said. "It's just a good organization. It's a void that we need filled for these kids after school with parents with jobs."

Last year Vosen and her friends donated a tree with some food items and quilted goods. This year, they're changing it up a bit. They've got a big decorated quilted wall hanging called "Alpine Wonder." The hanging will come with a basket of baked goods and knitwear, as well as a "dessert of the month" program.

"You can only sell so many trees," Vosen said.

JulieAnn LaSmith from Aageson Agency, who have co-entered an entry with Herberger's for a second year, agrees.

Last year they made an unconventional tree for hallways. The tree, and its accompanying gift basket, fetched the most money that evening, $1,500.

This year the group are putting together an entryway set, with a bench with drawers, mats, hanging decorations and other things.

Some entrants are keeping to tree decoration and still getting creative.

Linda Johnson is doing a pet-themed tree with her niece. The tree will be decorated with pet-related items and a live canary in a cage, raised by Johnson's niece.

Her niece also works for a veterinarian and is offering free pet vaccinations in the gift basket, along with pet toys, food and treats.

These trees are less than a third of the packages being auctioned on Dec. 3. For more information on the others, see the pictures in later editions of the Havre Daily News. For tickets to the Festival of Trees at Holiday Village Mall, call 265-6206.

The holiday season is here. There's snow on the ground. Thanksgiving is next week. The Boys & Girls Club of the Hi-Line's Festival of Trees is the week after that, and all of this year's participants are getting ready.

Aside from being for the benefit of local non-profit organization for children, many of the people that signed up are using the decorating of Christmas trees for charity as an excuse to get together with family, friends and co-workers.

The Bureau of Land Management decorators are having a potluck tonight to get their tree ready for the auction on Dec. 3 at Holiday Village Mall.

Karen Vosen is getting together with a walking group she and her friends started several years ago, to donate a large collection of things.

Vosen said she appreciates what the Boys & Girls Club does, and will do for her young grandsons.

"I've got two little grandsons that will probably be involved later," Vosen said. "It's just a good organization. It's a void that we need filled for these kids after school with parents with jobs."

Last year Vosen and her friends donated a tree with some food items and quilted goods. This year, they're changing it up a bit. They've got a big decorated quilted wall hanging called "Alpine Wonder." The hanging will come with a basket of baked goods and knitwear, as well as a "dessert of the month" program.

"You can only sell so many trees," Vosen said.

JulieAnn LaSmith from Aageson Agency, who have co-entered an entry with Herberger's for a second year, agrees.

Last year they made an unconventional tree for hallways. The tree, and its accompanying gift basket, fetched the most money that evening, $1,500.

This year the group are putting together an entryway set, with a bench with drawers, mats, hanging decorations and other things.

Some entrants are keeping to tree decoration and still getting creative.

Linda Johnson is doing a pet-themed tree with her niece. The tree will be decorated with pet-related items and a live canary in a cage, raised by Johnson's niece.

Her niece also works for a veterinarian and is offering free pet vaccinations in the gift basket, along with pet toys, food and treats.

These trees are less than a third of the packages being auctioned on Dec. 3. For more information on the others, see the pictures in later editions of the Havre Daily News. For tickets to the Festival of Trees at Holiday Village Mall, call 265-6206.