Love of the local hospital and maybe the appeal of some early Christmas shopping made for another great Festival of Trees event at Isaiah Tubbs earlier this month.

Director Liz Jones reported that this year’s events, at Isaiah Tubbs and at Second Time Around, both organized by members of the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, raised over $75,000 through the silent auction of gift trees, the sale of baked goods, and bucket draw raffles.

“We received a record number of entries and raised a net profit of $55,400,” Ms. Jones said. “Additional proceeds from the Second Time Around Store’s Christmas Boutique brought the grand total to over $75,000 for the weekend’s fundraising.”

The funds allow the PECMHA to purchase a pair of point of care blood analyzers for the new Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital. The POC analyzers quickly provide diagnostic information about a patient’s blood sample and allow physicians to diagnose conditions faster, develop treatment plans, and improve patient outcomes.

The three-day celebration featured live music from a host of local acts, including The Reasons, Command Performance, Lenni Stewart, Tom Eitzel, Shout Sister, and Mark Despault. Santa Claus stopped by, of course, to hear children’s wishes and take a quick picture.

Favourite Trees were “The Cosy Christmas Cupboard” by Mary Ann Bartlett in Tubbs Main Hall; “Winter Sparkle” by Nomad Designs in Upper Macdonald Hall; and “The First Snowfall Splendour” by Arlene Wright in Lower Macdonald Hall.

“The Festival of Trees is 100 percent volunteer run and we are so grateful to the many generous community partners that contribute to this annual event,” Ms. Jones added.