Guests at the Crossroads Hospice Society Treasures of Christmas gala this Saturday will kick off their Christmas in style and maybe get some holiday decorating help, too, if they bid on eight specially decorated trees.
Beautifully embellished with charming names and matching themes - such as the Jingle All the Way Tree, the Nouveau Champagne Classique and the Fairy's Secret Garden Tree - the trees are certain to draw the eyes - and cash from the pocketbooks - of gala guests.
"They are always so gorgeously decorated," said Shannon Milne, Crossroads' special events co-ordinator, who said 19 volunteers spend months gathering decorations and items for the trees, which will be auctioned off to the highest bidders.
When guests walk in to the Treasures of Christmas Gala at the Red Robinson Show Theatre at Coquitlam's Boulevard Casino, they'll be greeted by elves (actors with Theatrix Youtheatre Society) who will show them the features of the trees and the gifts that go with them. Winning bidders will get to take home the gifts and perhaps put them under their own tree at Christmas.
"It's the wow factor," Milne said of the dazzling selection of decorated trees that make Treasures a signature Crossroads event.
Winning bidders also get a gift certificate to purchase a tree at Art Knapp Plantland and Florist and, after the event, decorators will decorate that tree for a donation to Crossroads.
Treasures has been an annual tradition for 18 years, with the festive trees symbolizing life and renewal - themes that the Crossroads Hospice has been promoting for years with its philosophy of compassionate end-of-life care.
Executive director Barb Henham said the society's aim is to provide care that values life until the moment it ends and those who volunteer, provide clinical and support services, and even Treasures guests themselves all subscribe to this philosophy.
"It's all about the living until the final breath, honouring dignity and providing comfort to loved ones and their families," she said.
Crossroads supports two major fundraisers each year, the Treasures of Christmas gala and the Hike for Hospice in May, and funds raised go pay for dozens of programs, from art and pet therapy to bereavement support throughout the Tri-Cities and New Westminster, including the hospice at Inlet Centre in Port Moody, which the society runs in partnership with Fraser Health.
Many of those who attend the gala have been touched by Crossroads in some way, Henham said, and they want to give back to ensure the programs are there for themselves and their loved ones.
While Crossroads' objectives may seem contrary to the fun-loving spirit of Treasures, the two are intertwined because without the generosity of supporters, the life-affirming programs of the hospice could not continue.
"We know people understand that when they open their hearts to us," Milne says.
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN
In addition to the festive trees, gala guests will also have the opportunity to bid on seven other prize packages, including an Okanagan Getaway and a Suite Sweet Deal, as well as silent auction items.
Tickets are also being sold for two raffles; one has prizes ranging from Thrifty Foods gift cards to a seven-day Caribbean cruise, with tickets costing between $5 and $10; the other is the Tinsel raffle, with only 200 $25 tickets available for prizes that include a Movado his-and-hers watch set valued at $2,600.
There will also be a festive dinner buffet, music by a local jazz ensemble and entertainment. The Nov. 26 event will be hosted by Global TV broadcasters Squire Barnes and Randene Neill.
Tickets are $125 and available online at www.treasuresofchristmas.ca or by calling 604-945-0606.
dstrandberg@tricitynews.com
