Festival Of Trees Brings Beaver County Community Together
Nov 27, 2020, 7:14 PM | Updated: Dec 1, 2020, 12:22 am
BEAVER, Utah – Even though the Festival of Trees will be virtual this year, people in Beaver County were still excited to help out. KSL TV spoke to several volunteers.
The festival is a time-honored tradition in our community, raising funds for Intermountain Healthcare’s Primary Children’s Hospital. This year is the 50th anniversary for the event.
“The reason I love Festival of Trees is because in our community, everyone is involved,” said Melissa Kanell, Festival of Trees volunteer in Beaver. “People will do anything to help a child.”
The faces behind trees from Beaver, Minersville and Milford each have a story to tell.
“We all have special reasons why we participate and why we want to help children and it is it is simply a miracle to be part of it,” said volunteer Patty Goff.
“Twelve years ago, my mother had passed away,” said Korey Yardley. “The community – the festival community – had come and talked to me, and asked me if they could do a tree in my mother’s honor. I had asked them, ‘Well, can I do this actual tree?’”
Over a decade later, Yardley was still decorating trees.
Janett Bradshaw said her reason for volunteering was to help the children being treated at the hospital.
“My ‘why’ is the kids,” she said.
“It brings the community together. It brings us together in service,” said Sharee Atkin. “Beaver has such a love here that we care about each other.”
“My mother was always involved, since I was a little girl. She spearheaded all these events every year. (She) spent so much time and just had a great passion for giving and serving, especially for the kids,” said Tiffany Harris.
Harris continued her mother’s tradition.
“It’s just been a journey of fun and excitement and service and giving and love,” she said.
Milford said the Festival gave their small rural area a way to draw together.
“Every civic organization, every religious organization, every club – we all pull together and make projects,” she said.
“It just blows my mind every year when they come back and say how much we have raised just our community,” said Susan Mellor.
Her reason for being involved was also very personal.
“My two granddaughters were born at 28-and-a-half weeks, barely two pounds,” Mellor said. “We’ll never be able to pay back what they put into our family. Never,”
Proving it’s the small and simple acts that make a big difference.
“We have to think differently on how we can serve and to give this year with COVID,” said Janett Beaver.
It’s impressive what the people in Beaver, Milford and Minersville have been able to do. Over the years the festival as a whole has raised over $40 million for Charity Care at the hospital.
Anyone can bid on the trees and other auction items. Go to MakeGoodGrow.org and experience the magic of the virtual event for yourself.
Log on to the KSL TV app on Friday December 4th at 7 p.m. to watch a special Christmas program from The Festival of Trees.
