ROTHSCHILD, WI (WSAU) — The Aspirus Health Foundation’s annual Festival of Trees opens Wednesday afternoon at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center in Rothschild, the single-biggest fundraiser for the foundation and a chance for residents to take home unique holiday decorations.
“It is the most important fundraiser that we have for our hospice program,” said Kalynn Pempek, executive director of the foundation. “Our goal this year is $190,000. The proceeds from the event support our comfort care and hospice program as well as our hospice house,” she added.
The event includes over 100 trees, wreaths, mantles, and other holiday decorates that will be on display through Sunday evening. The decorations will be auctioned off at the end of the event, with the winners getting to take them home.
Pempek says there’s no one central theme to the decorations, with the individuals and companies that donated them having total freedom in that department. “One tree is decorated in a little red truck theme, there’s another that is decorated with bicycle tires, another has everything about clocks.”
Even if you don’t try to purchase one of the trees, you can still support the foundation by coming out to see the displays. Daily admission is $5 per person and $3 for those ages 3-12. The displays open Wednesday at 1 PM and again Thanksgiving day at 1 PM. Hours on Friday will be 9 AM to 5 PM, Saturday from noon to 5 PM, and Sunday from noon to 2.
