February 2002

Great Plains Region

Regina Wascana:
Celebrating Another Successful Festival of Trees
Submitted by Janey Davies

The members of the Canadian Progress Club Regina Wascana are celebrating another very successful Festival of Trees.

This four-day, six-event fundraiser was held November 15-18, 2001. The proceeds, in excess of $35,000, will go to the Hospitals of Regina Foundation, in support of Women & Children's Health. This year the proceeds will purchase a birthing bed and vital signs monitors for use in labour and delivery.

It was a very exciting and fun-filled four days starting with the launch on Thursday. Amongst the collection of trees, wreaths and garlands, fairy ballerinas tip-toed and danced to light the collection for our sponsors, charity representatives and a large group of volunteers and visitors.

Friday was again a busy day for our members and volunteers. A "Cruisin' into Christmas" luncheon and fashion show for 200 was held and proclaimed to be the best yet. The afternoon was spent taking down lunch and setting up for the fabulous and also very successful "Gala". Besides being a fun evening of eating, visiting and the excitement of a live and silent auction for the 336 in attendance, a wonderful video presentation that explained where and why the proceeds of this fund raiser would be used was shown.

Saturday was family day, starting with the Breakfast with Santa for 299 excited children, parents and grandparents. Ronald McDonald made a surprise visit and it was a toss-up as to who was favoured more. The rest of the day and evening hundreds of children and parents dropped in to view the collection, and visit each of the play stations set up for the kids. All went home exhausted and happy.

Sunday was our spectacular "Brunch with Rory Allen and his Tribute to the King". A wonderful brunch highlighted by the arrival of Rory and our favorite all time gospel and Christmas songs. Two hundred and sixty-six patrons enjoyed an hour and a half of top-notch entertainment that left everyone begging for more.

Besides all the events, public viewing hours were a special time for patrons to sit and listen to the best of the best local talent. This gave everyone the opportunity to visit the Craft Shoppe that housed 60 plus crafters items that were artfully displayed and available for sale. The ladies who organized this should be commended for having the best craft shop yet.

Every year, the members wonder how we could possibly have a better event and every year we do. This is entirely due to the hard work and dedication of the members of Regina Wascana and I would like to congratulate each and every one of them as well as thank them for making my job as chair a pleasure. Once again they have outdone themselves in every way.

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