Portland, OR. After 33 years of holiday fun, Providence Festival of Trees organizers give volunteers the credit for making the event such a success. This year over 100 amateur and professional designers produced the show at the Oregon Convention Center. Providence Festival of Trees has raised more than $15 million since its inception in 1983. Funds benefit programs and services that support the most vulnerable throughout the Portland metro area.
This year’s festival, December 1st – 3rd, featured more than 100 decorated trees, mini-trees and holiday displays.
There were more than 20,000 attendees. More than 600,000 people have attended the Festival since 1983.
A 40-member volunteer steering committee works year round on the show.
More than 1,200 volunteers give their time, talent and resources to make the event happen.
Here’s a look at some of the stand-out trees:
“Christmas Decadence” Sponsor: Providence Benedictine Nursing Center Decorators: Skye Wheeler, Nico Izambard, Redawn Ward, Sophya Vidal and Rolana Wheeler
“All a Buzz for the Holidays” Sponsor: Providence Brain and Spine Institute Designer: Nancy Gilpin
“Regal Christmas” Sponsor: Providence Health Plan Designers: Ronni Nichuals, Velma Rodriquez, Mary Nichols and Stacy Ryback
“The Merry Christmas Carolers” Sponsor: Play Smart Youth Heart Screenings Program Designers: Herb Oxenrider and Kay Hoover
This year the Festival silent auction had a special tree honoring long time Festival tree sponsor Earle M. Chiles. Earle passed away earlier this year. This shiny tin star Christmas trees is in the Mexican folk art tradition.
Where it all began: History of Festival of Trees
December 1983 arrived in Portland, Ore. That meant Meier & Frank’s window displays at the flagship store in downtown had been unveiled, and Santa’s house was set up inside ready for children of all ages. Peacock Lane residents were working on their spectacular light display. The lower level of Memorial Coliseum joined the ranks of Portland holiday traditions and was abuzz with Christmas sights and sounds. Christmas was coming to the Rose City in a new, exciting way.
The inside concrete walls of the Memorial Coliseum disappeared and were replaced with the spirit of something magical. A dazzling array of beautifully decorated trees appeared in row after row of Christmas delight. The mayor and city officials, state representatives, the community, employees, doctors and nurses, and Providence families crowded into the first Providence Festival of Trees to admire the trees and help raise funds for patients in need.
Community leaders and philanthropists Charles and Caroline Swindells, together with Providence Portland Medical Foundation Board Chair Dr. Gary Rothenberger and his wife Marianne, chaired the first festival event. The goal was to raise $300,000 for cancer research and kidney dialysis.
Everyone at the Providence Portland Medical Center and its supporting foundation had pitched in to launch this new holiday tradition. Hospital groundskeepers tended the freshly cut trees, housekeeping cleaned the display areas, creative volunteers decorated each tree, and donors eagerly supported this new effort to expand Providence’s care for the poor and vulnerable in the community. Little did they know, this humble beginning would one day raise millions of dollars for those in need and would unite thousands of people under a Portland holiday tradition known as Providence Festival of Trees.
Year after year, the devotion to Festival of Trees grew, sponsors stepped up by the hundreds, and funds were raised for projects such as nurse navigators and counselors for cancer patients, medication assistance for those without resources, medical research, and much more. Over time, the Festival of Trees has gone from a walk-around auction in a simple space to a formal gala dinner, multi-media auction and multi-day public events benefitting an entire community. More than 20,000 visitors pass through the Festival of Trees each year as one of Portland’s most beloved holiday traditions.
Portland, OR. Did you know it is Pittock Mansion’s 50th year decorating for the holidays? The tradition began in 1966 with a large live tree in the music room trimmed with ornaments made by Laurelhurst Elementary students. Today, many Portlanders make visiting Pittock Mansion’s holiday display a part of their family’s holiday traditions. Inspired by symbols of the season from angels, ornaments, and evergreens to snowflakes, sleds, and Santa Claus, this year’s display spans 15 spaces inside historic Pittock Mansion, featuring 39 Christmas trees large and small and live holiday music daily.
The tree in the Music Room in 1967.
The tree in the Music Room in 1983.
This year’s holiday display in the Music Room, created by Rosanne Sachson, include a nod to the room’s original interior decorator Bertha Stuart.
This year’s decorations in the Breakfast Room.
Thousands of families visit the Pittock Mansion during the holidays.
The snow is melting now and visitors are welcome.
From the Pittock Mansion.
Celebrate the wonders of the holidays at Symbols of the Season, Pittock Mansion’s annual holiday exhibit open through December 31*. Local musicians will play daily in the mansion’s Music Room 11:30am – 1:30pm & 2pm – 4pm, based on volunteer availability. Take the free shuttle from Sunset Transit Center December 17 through December 31* and receive $1 off each admission. The shuttle from Sunset Transit Center to Pittock Mansion will depart 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm. Return trips from Pittock Mansion back to Sunset Transit Center depart 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm. This shuttle is provided thanks to a partnership with America’s Hub World Tours. For details, contact Pittock Mansion. Please call ahead to confirm shuttle service during inclement weather.
Shuttle service is provided by a 12-passenger van marked with a sign identifying it as the shuttle to Pittock Mansion. Shuttle vans are not wheelchair accessible. (TriMet offers some door-to-door neighborhood shuttle service through their Ride Connection program. Find out more at http://trimet.org/access/index.htm) Shuttle vans may have extra cargo space for strollers, but do not have children’s seats for transportation.
*Pittock Mansion will be closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Portland, OR. It wouldn’t be the holidays in Portland for thousands of people without a visit to the Oregon Zoo’s annual winter festival, ZooLights. As visitors walk around the zoo, they see a display of more than million and half lights, and experience the zoo in a whole new light. ZooLights runs through January 1, 2017.
ZooLights hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The grounds remain open for one hour after gates close. For more details click: http://www.oregonzoo.org/zoolights
Here’s a look at a few of the displays:
Here are answers to some FAQs from the Oregon Zoo:
ZooLights tickets vs. regular zoo tickets – what’s the difference?
ZooLights tickets are valid after 4 p.m. To enter the zoo earlier, a regular admission ticket must be purchased. The zoo does not close between regular hours and ZooLights — daytime visitors are welcome to stay on grounds. However, there is no re-entry to the zoo after 4 p.m.
How much does ZooLights cost for members?
Oregon Zoo members get free admission to ZooLights. Members also have access to a preview on November 23, before ZooLights opens to the public. Visit the special offers page for more info about member discounts.
Yes, members can bring guests to ZooLights just as they would on a regular zoo visit. The number of guests allowed is based on the membership level. Members can buy additional guest tickets online for quicker entry.
What time do the lights come on?
Lights start turning on at 4 p.m., and are fully lit by 5 p.m.
When is the best time of day to visit ZooLights?
ZooLights is very popular during the first portion of the evening, from 5-7 p.m. Guests who want to avoid the crowds may want to visit after 7-7:30 p.m. The train lines tend to be longest from 6-7 p.m. The train will continue running until the line is gone, so experiencing the walk-through portion (95% of ZooLights) first may lead to the most positive guest experience.
What’s the least busy time to visit ZooLights?
ZooLights is busiest at the beginning of the evening, and crowds tend to thin out after 7:30 p.m. The least busy nights are weekdays during the first few weeks of ZooLights (Nov. 28 – Dec. 1 and Dec. 5-8).
How long is the train ride and how much does it cost?
Train rides last 6-8 minutes, including a brief winter-themed interlude and performance near the Family Farm. The ride includes lights not visible from the walking paths, but 95 percent of the displays are only visible on the walk-through experience. Trains begin running at 4:45 p.m. Tickets are $3.50 for members and $4 for all others.
When is the best time to ride the train?
Train lines tend to be longest from 6 to 7 p.m. To reduce wait time, the zoo is selling train rides in 15-minute increments. Visitors are encouraged to schedule their rides early by purchasing online here. Please factor in travel time and parking when choosing your timed ticket. Parking lots often fill early in the evening, so riding MAX is the best way to guarantee you make it to ZooLights. Plan your MAX trip with TriMet’s trip planner.
What if I miss the time I selected for my train ride?
Visitors who miss their selected ride period can join the line to get on the next available train.
What’s the parking situation?
Learn more about parking and transportation options. Because parking lots fill quickly on busy evenings, visitors are encouraged to ride MAX to the zoo. The parking lot adjacent to the zoo is owned by Portland Parks, and fees collected are reinvested to improve Washington Park.
How do we take MAX to the zoo?
Parking is available at the Sunset Transit Center after 4 p.m. weekdays and all day on weekends. Visitors can park for free and take the Blue or Red line one stop toward City Center to the Washington Park MAX station. Use the TriMet Trip Planner to plan your ZooLights trip.
Will ZooLights close for inclement weather?
If the decision is made to close the zoo, an announcement will be made to local news outlets, on our website and via our Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Are there dinner and treat options available?
The Cascade Grill, Grill-to-Go, Black Rhino, BearWalk Café and AfriCafe are open most nights, as are carts along the ZooLights path featuring hot chocolate, popcorn and the zoo’s signature treat — elephant ears. Additional food carts will be available, excluding Value Nights. See the menu.
I want to perform at ZooLights. How do I sign up?
Please fill out the performance request form. Please note that due to demand not all groups may be scheduled.
Portland, OR. Best-selling author and parenting expert Julie Lythcott-Haims captivated the audience at the Portland Hilton as the keynote speaker of St. Mary’s Academy’s 23rd annual Food for Thought Luncheon benefiting financial aid. Guests at the November 15th benefit included Virginia Mathews, Molly Mathews Bjorklund ’85, Marilyn Fink, St. Mary’s Academy Board Member Tom Fink. Speaking to over 750 supporters of the school, Lythcott-Haims was one of the many highlights of the event, which raised over $500,000. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)
Food for Thought Co-Chair Sara Salvi ’71, St. Mary’s Academy Principal Kelli Clark, St. Mary’s Academy President Christina Friedhoff, keynote speaker Julie Lythcott-Haims, student speaker Daae An ’17, and St. Mary’s Academy Board Chair Kent Roberts
St. Mary’s Academy Board Chair Kent Roberts with Sara Roberts, Sally Roberts ’08 and their friends.
Max Williams, Gina Williams, Monica McQueen, and St. Mary’s Academy Board Member Kimberly Cooper.
Table host Suzann Baricevic Murphy ’83 and friends.
Attendees also heard from St. Mary’s Academy President, Christina Friedhoff, who talked about the importance of the event in allowing the school to carry out its mission to provide an outstanding, all-female, Catholic, college-preparatory education to young women of many backgrounds. Food for Thought is the school’s largest fundraiser in support of tuition assistance. For the 2016-17 school year, over 40% of St. Mary’s Academy families will receive over $1.8 million in tuition assistance.
KATU News anchor Debora Knapp emceed the event, which included testimonials from SMA alumna and longtime teacher and coach at the school, Sara Salvi, who co-chaired this year’s event with fellow class of 1971 graduate, businesswoman Teri Nowak. St. Mary’s students shone brightly, with a dazzling performance by the nationally acclaimed St. Mary’s Marian Singers and a special message from St. Mary’s senior, Daae An, who talked about the vast opportunities open to her because of tuition assistance provided by the school.
“I think the real power of Food for Thought is hearing the stories of so many impressive women,” said St. Mary’s Academy Vice President of Development, Emily Niedermeyer Becker ’86, “These are stories that are both made possible by our incredible donors and compel our community to give so generously at Food for Thought.”
St. Mary’s Academy, founded in 1859 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, is Oregon’s oldest continually operating high school and its only all-girls school.
Portland, OR. The results are in and some local nonprofits, like B’nai B’rith Camp, are cheering. #OregoniansGive raised $1,543,163 on Tuesday, Nov. 29th. There were 5,908 donors and 12,680 gifts which will benefit 190 nonprofits. #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.
Northwest Children’s Theater and School had the fourth most donations. (THE JUNGLE BOOK Directed by Sarah Jane Hardy. Produced by Northwest Children’s Theater and School. PHOTO BY: David Kinder)
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