Messages of Hope from Festival..

Here were just a handful of of messages of hope that were from Festival...

"Hope is what I am holding on to while I sit here thinking about my newborn baby up in the hospital. I look for it everywhere; in the sun coming through the clouds, in the smiles of the nurses and in every shallow breath my daughter takes while she is in my arms. Hope follows me around even when it doesn't feel like it's three and hope is what will see me through this tough time."

"I hope I am hileing (healing)."

"Hope to me is the little miracles coming together to make your big miracles come true. I have been hoping and praying for a baby for years and by having that hope my miracles are coming true."

Hope is:
"When I found out my little brother gets to come home."
"When the doctor says I'm not sick anymore."
"My daughter."
"The thought of going home."

Festival is Here!!

Give the Gift of Hope!

The 2010 Festival of Trees event is finally here. I can't believe it has been a year since we did this last year. The crew moves into the convention center today and over the course of the next few days will transform the building from plain convention center walls to winter wonderland amazement!

Tuesday is designer day where the designers spend their entire day putting their ideas to work and creating beautiful trees and Wednesday the doors open. Thursday we have the 2ND annual(sold out) Ladies Night Out, Friday is Gala, Saturday during the day is Public Day followed by the Jingle Bell Jam Saturday Night and Sunday is for the Public again. Our attendance in reservations has already surpassed last years and we have good vibes heading our way in hopes of raising a lot of money.

Thank you for supporting Festival! It is because of events like these that help families and friends in times of need when they otherwise may not be able to afford care.

The theme this year was Give the Gift of Hope. I had this idea to go throughout the hospital and ask families, nurses and kids what HOPE meant to them. The answers were overwhelming and very touching. Some were elaborate and some were as simple as Hope to me is knowing that tomorrow will come".

I challenge you to take a moment to think about what Hope means to you. Feel free to share it with me and I will put your meaning on the trees for Festival. I focused my centerpieces this year on those very meanings. The words will hang off of cards on my centerpieces from every table inside the convention center (65 of them).

Here we go.. GIVE THE GIFT OF HOPE