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No Comments [ Add Comment ]All Decked Out / Safe Harbor event brings Christmas cheer, joy to everyone
By Loretta ParkLAYTON -- Organizers of an annual fundraiser worry that a faltering economy may bring fewer people out, but they promise those who come will find beautiful trees and silent auction items to fit just about any budget.
"We're wondering if people will come," said Nell Howell, the silent auction chairwoman for Evergreen, which continues today at the Davis Conference Center. "With the economy, we're concerned people won't come."
Evergreen is a fundraiser for the Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Shelter in Kaysville.
Organizers have spent countless hours seeking items to auction off, as well as sponsors for 25 Christmas trees that have brought anywhere from $600 to $6,000 each at the annual auction.
One of the signs that fewer people may attend the event than did last year is, not all the tickets for the dinner tonight have been bought. There are still about 75 tickets available.
"Last year, I had only two seats left," said Carlene Kemp, chairwoman of the event. "The place was packed."
The dinner and fundraiser are at the Expo Center at the Davis Conference Center, 1651 N. 700 West, Layton. The trees will be auctioned off along with more than 100 silent auction items this evening. The dinner is at 6:30 p.m. Dinner prices are $50 a person or $750 a table.
Kay Card, director of Safe Harbor, said reservations for the dinner can still be made or people can pay at the door.
The public can visit the fundraiser from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. today. The silent auction begins at 5:30 p.m.
Last year nearly $150,000 was raised and organizers hope to still hit that mark.
Admission to see the trees is $3 per person or $5 per family. Visitors can vote for their favorite tree and pictures, with Santa also available.
Every tree promotes Christmas with a different theme. Tinker toys, blocks, puzzles, a toy tower crane, along with toy power tools, hammers, screw drivers and a workbench decorate one Christmas tree.
Nearby, five trees with berries and bows play host to a toy train set that weaves in and out of them. Anne and Dean Wiese, of Farmington, worked Monday morning on the best placement for the animated model train set.
"The Nightmare Before Christmas," was the theme of a tree with black, white and red decorations. A coffin on a sleigh completes the look.
Many of the trees are donated and decorated by people, like the Wieses, who have participated year after year in the event since it started 12 years ago.
Kemp became involved with the fundraiser several years ago after a neighbor asked her to help.
"I'm not sure why I feel so passionate about it," Kemp said.
She said she heard about domestic violence in the news but never equated it to Davis County until her neighbor asked her to help with the event.
"When a mother suffers, her children suffer, and usually it's the mother who is homeless," Kemp said.
Card said the shelter is at capacity with 31 women and children. It has been full for the past two years.
However, within the last few months, as the economy deteriorates, more women are seeking help at the shelter.
"We're trying to find alternative safe places for them, because our rooms are used up," Card said.
Money raised from the Evergreen fundraiser goes toward items that private and government grants do not cover, like electricity, phone bills and transitional housing assistance. Items for the silent auction include snowboards, skis, golfing items, theater tickets, oil changes, baby gift baskets, spa gift baskets, quilts and original paintings.
Other items for sale include fleece blankets, scarves, hats, burp cloths and stuffed animals.
Susan Stevenson, who serves on the shelter's board, set aside some burp cloths she wanted to buy.
"Year after year, it gets bigger and better," Stevenson said.
To make a dinner reservation, call Christie Cothran at 529-6809.
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