FORKS — The annual Festival of Trees in Forks auction Sunday netted nearly $6,000, according to preliminary numbers.
The festival, sponsored by the Soroptimist International of the Olympic Rainforest, had 17 trees this year, said Pat Kain, president of the club, on Sunday night.
More money garnered from the sale of wreaths and other items as well as donations may double the profits, Kain said.
Other items sold included cookbooks, knives and home-baked goodies.
Local businesses sponsor and decorate the trees, which are then sold at auction.
All proceeds benefit the Soroptimists International of the Olympic Rainforest.
“All of that money stays right here in this area,” Kain said.
She said the group isn’t sure how much was earned because the money was still being totalled Sunday night.
The theme for this year’s contest was “The Colors of Christmas.”
“We had so many people attending,” Kain said.
“There were 50 chairs set up and every single one was full.
“We are so excited to see what people have for us next year.”
Northwest Christmas
Next year’s theme — announced at the auction — will be “Christmas in the Pacific Northwest,” she said.
The tree that took People’s Choice Award and earned the most money at auction — a total of $850 — was “Color Me Happy” sponsored by the Peninsula Daily News and decorated by Zeller Westabrook, Alethia Lane and Tracey Weikel.
Best-in-Show was “Santa’s Little Helpers” sponsored by Forks Outfitters an decorated by Christine and Ashley Treichel.
It earned $500 at auction.
Most Contemporary was “The Colors of Christmas are Cranberry, Gold and Red” sponsored by Pacific Northwest Debt Solutions and the Thursday Nights Dart Club and decorated by Johnnie Eades.
A very close runner-up for People’s Choice, it earned $650 in the auction.
Most Traditional was “Blizzard of Red and Green” sponsored by Allen Log and Patti Birch.
It earned $300 at auction.
Santa’s Choice award went to the Miller Tree Inn and Bill Peach tree decorated by Chinook Pharmacy, Charlene Craft, Diane Edwards and Cathy Johnson. It earned $225 at the auction.
The annual tree auction supports scholarships and other programs to support women and girls in the Forks area, Kain said.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
