Geneva Giving Tree exhibit winners announced
Submitted by Geneva History Center
The results are in from the annual Geneva Giving Tree exhibit. The Geneva History Center hosted the fifth annual holiday display showcasing 15 Christmas trees decorated by local nonprofit organizations.
The display was visited by more than 2,000 people and has become a community holiday tradition along with the 18th-century Neapolitan crèche.
Visitors voted with their dollars at the history center and on the website. The winning tree receives all of its vote dollars for their organization, while the others split their vote dollars with the history center. They were also pleased to partner once again with the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission, who judged the trees on artistic qualities and awarded additional cash prizes of $75 for first place and $25 for second place.
Winners were announced Dec. 28 in the Bencini Room of the history center, a fitting location since the Giving Tree display was the original idea of former board member and volunteer Mary Bencini.
The top voted tree by the community was Finally Home Holistic Recovery and Adoption with the largest earnings ever of $1,630. They received lots of votes on PayPal from their supporters, and visitors couldn’t resist the sad puppy dog faces that decorated the tree.
The winners of the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission awards were: Greater Geneva Art Guild with first place and Geneva Girl Scouts and Finally Home Holistic Recovery and Adoption tied for second place.
The 15 trees were decorated by: American Cancer Society, Ecker Center for Mental Health, Finally Home Holistic Recovery and Adoption, Fox Valley Troop Support, Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice, Geneva Academic Foundation, Geneva Kiwanis Club, Geneva Park District, Geneva Girl Scouts, Greater Geneva Art Guild, Marklund, Mothers Club of Geneva, National Alliance on Mental Illness DeKalb, Kane-South & Kendall Counties Inc., Tri-City Family Services and VNA Health Care.
Special thanks to all of the organizations that dedicated their time and talents to decorate a tree. The display not only provides a fundraising opportunity but it gives these organizations a chance to showcase what they offer the community.
Replacing the Giving Tree display Feb. 9 to Nov. 2 will be “Start With A Sketch,” an exhibition highlighting the rich culture of illustration through the cartoonists, illustrators and voice actors of the community.