The Festival of Trees in 2021 reopened to the public for the first time since 2019 and raised more than $80,000 for the O’Connell Children’s Shelter.
Individuals and organizations designed and donated 49 trees and 26 wreaths that were sold at auction Dec. 2 during the 35th annual event. Trees and wreaths were displayed at Liberty Hall. For the first time in two years, the public was again invited to view the display and attend an event to have cookies with Santa.
Trees and wreaths are designed by community members individually or representing businesses and organizations. While there are some parameters given to participants, decorators are given free rein to create their tree or wreath designs according to their own imaginations. O’Connell Children’s Shelter grant and development coordinator Maren Ludwig said the event highlighted the originality in the Lawrence community.
“It’s amazing to see the creativity and generosity of our community members who spend countless hours decorating and designing these creations,” she said. “Every year, I’m shocked by the remarkably different ways donors can interpret the instruction to provide a tree or wreath.”
This year’s festival added “Pulling for a Change,” a new fundraising event offering carriage rides through downtown Lawrence during the holiday season. The carriage rides, arranged by Emily Willis Stewart of McGrew Real Estate, raised more than $16,000 of the festival total.
“It was wonderful that due to the support of our sponsors every dollar generated from ticket sales went directly to support O’Connell,” Willis Stewart said. “We’re hoping to expand our carriage ride offerings next year so we can bring more holiday joy and ensure even greater support for this great cause.”
The Festival of Trees has been the primary fundraising event for the Children’s Shelter since 1986. Established in 1981, the shelter offers residential groups care, family foster care, prevention programs to support families in need and to keep children in school, and community outreach to strengthen and preserve families in the region.
O’Connell Youth Ranch was established in 1975 to provide a structured, residential home life to boys ages 6 through 18. The organization offers case coordinators and staff to support children living on the ranch. The ranched merged with the shelter in November 2021 to form the O’Connell Children’s Shelter.
Director Gina Meier-Hummel said the new organization would continue to provide the services it had in the past, but the merger will enable it to offer expanded opportunities to families in Lawrence and Northeast Kansas. Money raised during the 2021 Festival of Trees event has been earmarked to enhance support for young people aging out of foster care.
“Children aging out of foster care are particularly vulnerable to homelessness because they do not have the same inherent community and familial supports,” Meier-Hummel said. “We’re looking to provide that guidance and support.”
Visit the O’Connell Children’s Shelter webpage for more information about fostering, volunteer opportunities, and additional ways to support the organization. Festival of Trees 2022 events are scheduled to begin Nov. 28.
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