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Festival of Trees raises more than $12K for local charities

This year’s event saw 19 trees donated by local businesses and organizations for the second annual virtual online auction

The second annual Festival of Trees raised $12,130 for local initiatives, such as Science North and other groups supported by the Sudbury Charities Foundation. 

This year’s event consisted of 19 artificial trees dressed to the nines in various themes, which is two more than were donated last year by local businesses and organizations. 

Trees could be viewed in person at the science centre, and online bidding for the displays and associated gifts closed at 5 p.m. on Saturday. 

In a release issued by Science North, CAO Guy Labine thanked the Sudbury Charities Foundation for partnering with them to make this year’s event another success. 

“Collaboration and community are the core of this partnership,” he said, adding that the Festival of Trees is a “fantastic opportunity to work with a great organization and offers the community a chance to create a wonderful festive tradition with loved ones.”

Sudbury Charities Foundation board president Claude Charbonneau shared a similar sentiment in the release, in which he thanked everyone involved in this year’s fundraiser. 

“The funds raised in support of the Sudbury Charities Foundation will benefit underprivileged youth in the Sudbury region,” he said. “The notable recipients of donations are Ten Rainbows Children’s Charity and Sudbury Manitoulin’s Children’s Foundation’s Send-A-Kid to Camp program. We are so pleased to have seen so many people make this a festive tradition with their family and friends, all while supporting a great cause.”

Last year’s event was the first time the Festival of Trees had been hosted following a more than 20-year hiatus, and it raised approximately $10,000. 

Meanwhile, the Festival of Lights holiday light display at Science North is ongoing and will remain open at limited capacity until Jan. 7.

*An earlier version of this story stated the lights display was closed on Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1. Since then, organizers have said the display will remain throughout the holiday.


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