It’s a win-win-win when Community Connections holds its Festival of Trees each holiday season.
The organization wins, because it raises money to support its very important work. The people who decorate and donate the trees win, because they receive the warmth of spirit that comes with giving. And we win, because the beauty they create gets us in the holiday mood (and some of us win really cool trees and wreaths). Winning the tree, by the way, means the tree, the ornaments and the gifts underneath, which range in value from $400 to $2,000.
The 23 trees and a number of wreaths are decorated on themes, and they showcase another kind of local creativity.
Admission is free, and attendees are encouraged to make donations. A certain number of tickets is allocated per donation, which people can drop in the box or boxes of the trees and wreaths they want to win.
Best Cleaning & Disaster Restoration’s Candyland-themed tree will get the kids in the family on a sugar high not seen since Halloween. Atmos Energy went on a Dr. Seuss binge, with the Grinch making a prominent appearance.
Pediatric Partners of the Southwest’s tree is “Home for the Holidays,” and some children will enjoy the playhouse, Christmas welcome mat and Christmas-themed movies. Pediatric Associates of Durango included a season pass to Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, so I foresee, in my crystal ball, a lot of entries on that tree.
Basin Printing and Imaging made its tree a gift in several ways. It also has a home theme, with the ornaments featuring tiny houses painted with all kinds of detail, including one for sale complete with sign. Basin bought the ornaments from a local woman going through some health issues, and she made them to help pay medical bills. Maria’s Bookshop pitched in on this one, giving Basin a generous discount on the books, stamps and other goodies under the tree.
In fact, a lot of other businesses who didn’t sponsor a tree of their own donated gift certificates and merchandise to help execute a theme.
Three trees support other causes at the same time they’re supporting Community Connections. The Pink Ribbon Coalition’s is as pink as they come, all to increase awareness of breast cancer. And La Plata County Relay for Life’s Tree is resplendent in purple, featuring items that raise money for the American Cancer Society.
And Imagining Solutions’ tree is perfect for its mission of saving the oceans, complete with video, stuffed seals and other assorted oceanobilia. (I made that word up – one of the items on my bucket list is to create a word that is credited to me in the dictionary.) Apparently, it’s getting a lot of votes for Best in Show.
The event isn’t just a static walk-around-and-look-at-trees experience. A number of groups provide live entertainment throughout the afternoons the Festival of Trees is open. Coming up this weekend is Durango A Capella and St. Columba’s Handbell Choir with singers on Friday and Ryan McCurry and Zach Thompson on Saturday.
The event runs from 1 to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, and it pays to arrive early. The first 100 attendees each day receive a goodie – chips from the Chip Peddler on Friday, a box of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory chocolates Saturday and cupcakes from the Flour Sack on Sunday.
Community Connections provides invaluable services for our most fragile friends and neighbors – the cognitively and physically disabled. For some, it’s total care. Others are assisted in getting and keeping jobs or receiving the therapy they need. For many, it is support and respite care for them and their families.
The organization’s budget was hit hard in this recession, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it has not bounced back. The Festival of Trees is Community Connections’ only fundraiser of the year, so it’s critical for us to support it as a community.
To learn more, visit https://communityconnectionsco.org. Donations may also be made on the website or by sending checks to 281 Sawyer Drive, Suite 200, Durango, CO 81303.
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Celebrating their birthdays with eggnog and good cheer are Jane Gloyd, Nancy Stohl, Emily Schaldach (18!), Rob Kolter, Jimmy Robinett, Sam Caldwell, Kaitlyn Gibbons, Polly Payne, Dale Lyon, Taylor Forsythe, Dick Perry, B.J. Pierce, Lucas Hoffman and Shirley Spangsberg.
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All the snow Saturday didn’t keep hardy La Plata County residents from attending the Durango Choral Society’s “A Traditional Family Christmas” on Sunday afternoon.
It was full of laughter and beauty, as we have come to expect. It’s hard to pick one favorite, so I won’t, although Gemma Kavanagh’s solo on “O, Holy Night” was splendidly beautiful. People near me were offering tissues because tears were rolling down my face. The choral society is also blessed to have a really fine tenor in Curtis Storm, and his version of “I Wonder as I Wander” still echoes in my head.
Another favorite piece for me was the Durango Jazz Combo’s “Just A Closer Walk with Me.” It started with a quiet bass solo by Chad MacCluskey and continued with a serenity that reminded me of the oft-stated hope for peace on Earth at this time of year. The other members of the combo, Jeff Solon on saxophone and harmonica, Jack Maynes on piano and Jonathan Latta on drums, all joined MacCluskey on strutting their stuff in impressive solos on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”
The fun came in three parts, when Santa arrived with his “posse,” also known as the Blue Spruce, Frosty the Snowman, the Gingerbread Man and Santa’s chief elf, all of whom ganged up on the Grinch when he tried to steal Christmas. (He failed, as always. You’d think he’d learn.)
Mandy Gardner, Alison Dance, Liza Tregillus and Wendy Gillis, along with their fellow members of the Durango Women’s Choir, gave Santa their flirtiest best on “Santa Baby.”
I got to party with Santa and the gang after the concert, and Santa, who prefers to remain semi-anonymous, hastened to tell me he was supposed to dump Gardner, who had been sitting in his lap, on the floor.
“It was scripted that way,” he said.
When the Rev. Robert Seney, who won the baton for a guest-conducting gig, arrived in his Wallace tartan belted kilt, the afternoon was complete.
The gala afterward included a veritable cornucopia of silent auction items to support scholarships and the fall camp for the Durango Children’s Chorale. (They were also in great voice, particularly on “Christmas in 3 Minutes,” whipping through 23 Christmas songs in 180 seconds.)
Jeanne Bandy, who served as the chairwoman of the event, and her crew got an amazing variety of goodies, and while they’re still tallying the proceeds, it looks like the packed house will bring in around $5,000.)
Coming up next for the Durango Choral Society is the intimate “Wine, Women and Song,” which will feature Kavanagh and the Durango Women’s Choir in a romantic candlelight evening on Valentine’s Day. Only 50 tickets will be sold, so I really mean intimate.
To learn more, visit www.durangochoralsociety.com.
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I got the scoop on Santa and his posse at an after-concert party held at the home of Pat and Penny Haney.
Karen Esser catered the event, including salmon, mini-caviar tarts, mini-beef Wellingtons and a scrumptious asparagus wrapped in phylo dough with parmesan appetizer. Penny Haney threw some superb Enstrom’s toffee on the buffet for afters.
For those who missed Sunday’s concert, or those who would like to see a reprise, on Christmas Eve, Santa and his gang will be handing out candy canes and greeting folks who stop by the home of Bill and Buff Rogers, 2314 Scout Ridge Road.
It’s one of the light extravaganzas in town, and a favorite stop for locals and visitors alike on that magical night of the year.
Ho, ho, ho!
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The world is all lit up for the anniversaries (well, maybe a bit for the holidays, too) of Jim and Emily Robertson and Clark and Brigitte Cunningham.
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