By Margo Greenman
What’s your favorite part of Christmas? Is it sharing in the splendor of the season with friends and family? Baking gingerbread, sugar cookies and other holiday treats? Or perhaps it’s the tradition of gathering around a spruce or fir and spending an afternoon decorating its branches with twinkling lights and festive baubles? The latter has always been a personal favorite of mine. However, as I am just beginning to start preparations for my own Christmas tree, many local designers have already put the finishing touches on more than 40 thematic wreaths and trees for Providence St. Peter Foundation’s Christmas Forest, on display through Sunday, Dec. 7 at the Red Lion.
Now in its 27th year, the generosity of local sponsors, designers and the community has made Christmas Forest Providence St. Peter Foundation’s principal fundraiser, bringing in more than $8.6 million over the years in support of local health care and Providence’s mission-driven programs.
This year, a special program was chosen as the event’s “fund-a-need:” the expansion of St. Peter’s palliative care program. By creating an outpatient clinic and extending this service to patients who are not hospitalized, Providence will be able to provide more people with access to relief from the pain, discomfort and stress commonly caused by serious and complex conditions.
“The goal of palliative care is to come to the patient and help them live the best life possible, for as long as possible,” said Providence Palliative Care Medical Director Dr. Gregg VandeKieft. “Our team is trained to help relieve pain and suffering caused by serious illnesses, so the patient may live the fullest life they can.”
When Olympia resident Thomas Terry’s mother became terminally ill, he wasn’t fully aware of the benefits palliative care had to offer. In fact, palliative care wasn’t even available at the hospital in Delaware where Thomas’ mother was being treated. But, once Thomas and his wife, Priscilla, learned more about palliative care from a friend, they both became immediate supporters, wishing palliative care had been an option for Thomas’ mother.
“Palliative care provides people going through a difficult situation with someone who can help you identify what your options are, knows what the trade-offs are, and who can help you work through that maze. It’s like an independent view that helps you manage the situation better,” explained Thomas. “We’re all going to go through end of life and there are going to be complications. With more and more of us aging older, palliative care is going to become a more critical need.”
Thomas’s wife Priscilla is a member of Providence St. Peter Hospital’s Community Board, and both husband and wife are excited that this year’s Christmas Forest is supporting a service they are equally passionate about. “I think it’s such a worthy cause,” said Thomas. “It’s going to be such a good addition to the community health services available in Thurston County.”
With the support of donors, Providence’s goal is to have the clinic open and ready for patients by June of 2015, a goal which the Providence St. Peter Foundation believes will be made possible from monies raised at this year’s Christmas Forest.
By partnering with community sponsors and Thurston County’s best designers, Christmas Forest offers a dazzling display for the community to feast their eyes upon during five days in December. In addition to the display, which is open to the public with the cost of admission, Christmas Forest also plays host to a variety of other festive events throughout the week, all culminating with the highly anticipated Gala Dinner and Auction on Friday, where the trees are auctioned off to the highest bidders.
Jayme McBride has been designing trees for Christmas Forest for 14 years, and she says every year is different. Each year Jayme, her sister and her grandmother choose a different theme for their tree. This year they chose “White Christmas.” McBride says preparation for the event usually begins the day after Christmas when they hit the after-Christmas sales and stock up on ornaments. In the summer, the trio gathers to talk logistics, including what Olympia Sheet Metal, the family business, will contribute to the tree. This year’s tree features large snowflakes and stars fabricated from metal.
But, it’s the days leading up to the event that are especially busy. “We decorate the entire tree in one day. We work from 8 a.m. until around five at night. Everything has to be wired down – each light, every twig, and all of the ornaments have to be wired in place.” Multiply Jayme’s tree by 40, and you have Christmas Forest – a twinkling, ornate display with purpose.
Christmas Forest, located at the Red Lion Hotel in Olympia, kicks-off today, with events taking place throughout the week like Ladies’ Night Out on Wednesday, Silver Bells Breakfast on Thursday, the Gala Dinner and Auction on Friday, and more. Admission to Christmas Forest is $6 for adults and $1 for children ages 12 and younger.
For more information about Christmas Forest, including a full calendar of this week’s events and a sneak peak at the trees, visit Christmas Forest’s website.
