9th annual event will provide direct funding for Christmas season assistance to local families
Good Samaritan Network (GSN) of Hamilton County, Inc., a local nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, has announced the ninth annual Hamilton County Festival of Trees.
The return of this holiday tradition marks a significant impact for Hamilton County families because it helps provide direct funding for Holiday Assistance to the unserved, at-risk, and underserved.
The Festival of Trees will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 with an onsite live event and auction, as well as a silent auction both onsite and offsite. The live event will take place at the beautiful Renaissance Indianapolis North Hotel, 11925 N. Meridian St., Carmel. The evening includes a dinner, a keynote speaker, and an auction including custom designed themed Christmas trees, wreaths, and table centerpieces – all hand decorated by local designers specifically as fundraising pieces.
Reservations are available and are required due to limited seating. To RSVP, please visit gsnlive.org/festival-of-trees or call Good Samaritan Network at (317) 842-2603 ext. 200 for more details.
Photos provided by Good Samaritan Network
“In 2021 we thoroughly enjoyed our first year at the Renaissance North with a near-capacity crowd. It also marked our first year back ‘live’ (onsite) since COVID, with over 309 generous bids placed,” GSN Executive Director Nancy Chance said. “2021 was our best year ever with our strongest sponsors and participants, grossing $79,462.57. The ‘live’ auction was incredibly fun and very successful in raising nearly $24,000 alone!”
Purchased trees will be professionally delivered free to the purchaser’s residence or address of choice by the following Monday after the live auction and event.
The Festival of Trees will include mobile and online bidding! You will simply register, which allows you to bid by phone and/or online at any time during the bidding. No app download is required.
Each of us is painfully aware of the economic downturn we are experiencing in our country. Sadly, it significantly impacts nonprofits, like GSN, and we have been forced to increase RSVP prices. To help offset event cost increases for Festival of Trees 2022, we are making available an early registration promo code you can use to save 10 percent.
This county-wide Holiday Assistance Program is made possible, in part, because of in-kind donations received and processed all year long to GSN, which is dependent upon the neighbors and residents of Hamilton County for their donations of gently used or new toys (especially for 8- to 13-year-olds) and that are repurposed without cost to the residents of Hamilton County. Gently used bicycles are also welcomed and repurposed for families though the Recycled Cycles program.
Additional funds are required to handle expenses for the Holiday Assistance program, including perishable and nonperishable food.
Last year’s Holiday Assistance Program served over 46,000 people with (1) Thanksgiving distribution of food boxes, (2) Thanksgiving Day Meals (drive-thru and delivery), (3) Christmas distribution of food boxes and holiday toys, and (4) with the delivery of 791 meals for shut-ins on Christmas Eve! The annual Holiday Assistance budget is over $71,000.
Speaking about the value of sponsorship, Chance said, “During the last eight years we’ve held Festival of Trees, we have enjoyed 93 amazing sponsors accumulating over $140,000. They collectively directed assistance to Hamilton County families by supporting GSN’s programming and services! That’s incredible and that’s why sponsor participation is so critical! Sponsorships usually provide nearly 40 percent of the total fundraising gross, making a huge investment in our community and showing generosity and concern for our neighbors at the holidays! Thank you, sponsors!”
Sponsorships are available in multiple categories, including: Event Sponsor $8,000; Pinnacle Sponsor $4,000; Pillar Sponsor $2,000; Platform Sponsor $1,000; and Partner $500. Sponsors can easily register online at gsnlive.org/festival-of-trees.
Current sponsors include:
- Spencer Farms, Kyle Spencer / Event Sponsor
- Gaylor Electric, Chuck Goodrich / Pinnacle Sponsor
- Breathe Easy Hamilton County, Katie Jensen / Pinnacle Sponsor
- Gordon Marketing, Rebecca Gordon / Pillar Sponsor
- Mustard Seed Gardens, Teresa Skipper / Pillar Sponsor
- Christine Altman / Platform Sponsor
- Goins Family Fund, Tammy Goins / Platform Sponsor
- David & and Nancy Chance / Partner Sponsor
Some space may still be available for interested designers. Please visit gsnlive.org/festival-of-trees for more details or contact Festival of Trees Event Coordinator Kim Harden at (317) 379-0470 or iloveitdesigns@att.net. You can also contact the GSN office at (317) 842-2603.
You guys are truly awesome for all of the blessings that you give to other people!