There might not have been a wintery bite to weekend’s breezes or snow on the ground, but it wasn’t needed to make the Festival of Trees 2022 a holiday treat. For a few years now (skipping the obvious winter of pandemic constraints), the Friends of the Marion Council on Aging has held a Festival of Trees and other seasonal goodies at the Cushing Community Center.
The concept is simple: Christmas trees, this year tabletop sized, are decorated in a themed manner and raffled off. Also available was a variety of vendor tables offering everything from fine jewelry to holiday decorations.
In previous years, the trees were more full-sized, requiring floor space for the lucky raffle winner. But as COA Director Karen Gregory explained, “People thought a smaller tree would be better suited for seniors or for anyone who may already have a tree in place but could find room for a second smaller tree.”
For seniors now living in smaller housing units, what could be better than a small tree for the holiday?
Each of the diminutive tabletop delights was decorated in a unique theme and donated to the Friends’ fundraiser. As noted in the event brochure, “The Friends of Marion COA (FMCOA) was founded in 2012 and is a private nonprofit corporation with 501(c)(3) status and whose primary purpose is to seek donations through memberships, fundraising events, sponsorships and/or corporate gifts to financially assist the various projects that support and enhance the operation of the Marion Council of Aging. All money raised from this Year’s Festival of Trees event will be put to programming at the Council on Aging.”
If you’re wondering what sorts of programming and facilities-related upgrades the FMCOA has contributed to, look no further than the grand pavilion that now adorns the center’s lawn area. Gregory said there is also a planned “living hedge” along Route 6 that will help to enhance the overall appearance of the grounds, as well as acting as a noise buffer from roadway traffic.
The FMCOA also supports the center’s lunch program, off-site excursions, lecture series and other forms of entertainment for seniors, Gregory shared.
Raffle tickets, said Gregory, remain available at the COA until Thursday, December 8, around noon when the lucky winners will be drawn, so there is still time to purchase tickets.
The Festival of Trees feature: “The Heart Sings at Christmas” by the First Congregational Church; “Blue Christmas” by Barbara Meehan; “Candy Cane Lane” by Dina Quinlan; “Tree of Sweets” by the Sippican After School Program; “Wishing You Were Here” by Mimi’s Boutique; “All Things MAC” by Meg Hartley and Sonja Poley, Marion Art Center volunteers; “Rainbow” by the Sippican After School Program; “Forest Friends” by the Marion COA, “Childhood Memories” by Cindy Visotski and Linda Dessert; “Fun and Games” by the Marion Recreation Department; “Where the Buoys Are” by Lissa Magauran and Ami Milano; and last but not least, “Bling Tree” by the Marion COA.
Friends of the Marion Council on Aging
Marion Council on Aging
By Marilou Newell