PORT ANGELES — The Festival of Trees gala dinner and auction drew a record attendance and helped raised a record net of $121,600 for the Olympic Medical Center Foundation and the Port Angeles Exchange Club, foundation Executive Director Bruce Skinner said.
“We had an incredible night,” Skinner said of Friday night’s gala while reviewing the numbers Saturday.
“Fifty Years of the Mustang,” one of 61 Christmas trees displayed at the Vern Burton Community Center in Port Angeles, received a $5,000 bid to take top honors.
A crowd of 460 paid $95 each to attend the gala, which accounts for about 90 percent of Festival of Trees revenue.
Including volunteers, more than 500 attended the gala.
“It ended up being the largest crowd we’ve ever had,” Skinner said.
“At the beginning of the week, it didn’t look that way, but we’ve sold seven tables since Monday.”
Like all trees at the gala, the Mustang tree came with a “premium,” or prize.
The premium for the black, white and red Mustang tree was a 1977 Ford Mustang donated by Patricia Engbretson.
The blue-and-gold Mustang was described at the festival as being in “almost perfect condition” with 49,325 miles on its six-cylinder, 2.8-liter engine.
Other premiums included lavish vacations to foreign resorts, trips to destinations closer to home and sports memorabilia.
When the festival ends today, the decorative trees will shipped to their new owners.
The theme for the 24th annual Festival of Trees is “Polar Express” and the official title is “Believe.”
The fun resumes today with Family Days at the Vern Burton center at 308 E. Fourth St., where the trees will be on display from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission to Family Days — which includes musical entertainers, puppet show, crafts, games, a Christmas tree raffle and photos with Santa — is $5 at the door.
Children 8 and younger are admitted free.
The OMC Foundation will use the money raised at the gala to pay for medical equipment and advanced training for health care providers, Skinner said.
The net total was derived from $200,600 in gross revenue minus an estimated $79,000 in expenses.
“We don’t have all the expenses yet, but I have a pretty good idea of what they’re going to be,” Skinner said.
He added: “It was by far the best we’ve ever done.”
“It was a very pleasant surprise.”
Last year’s gala raised $93,000 for the foundation.
The tough economy has kept Festival of Trees revenue relatively low, since between $110,000 to $115,000 was raised in 2008, Skinner said.
“I think the economy is finally starting to come back around,” he said.
While the foundation collects the revenue from the gala, the Port Angeles Exchange Club gets the proceeds from Family Days.
“That will be about $10,000, or probably closer to $12,000,” Skinner said.
Each tree in the auction had a listed sponsor, designer and helper or helpers.
The Mustang tree, which celebrates the loyalty of Ford Mustang fans, was sponsored by Irwin Dental Center, designed by Sherry Phillips and helped by “Reliable Bob,” organizers said.
The auction’s second-highest-grossing tree, “A Highland Christmas,” sponsored by Irwin Dental Center and Bruce and Kathy Skinner, drew $3,750. It came with a trip to Scotland.
The “Believe” tree, sponsored by the Peninsula Daily News; “Bertie’s Christmas,” sponsored by Sunset Do it Best Hardware; and “A Time of Splendor,” sponsored by Wilder Auto Center, tied for third with $3,500 in bids.
“It’s the Real Thing,” a Coca-Cola tree sponsored by Sound Community Bank, and “The Emerald City: The 75th Anniversary of the Wizard of Oz,” sponsored by Applebee’s, tied for designer’s choice.
As part of Festival of Trees, an all-class Port Angeles High School reunion dance and auction were held Saturday night at the Vern Burton center, and an all-class reunion and basketball tournament were held at the high school Saturday.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
