Magical day celebrates Christmas, community

There was magic in the air.

Stockings were hung with care, Christmas trees glowed with bright lights and decorations, and presents in the form of items too big to fit on trees decorated by nine of the community's nonprofits lay waiting.

Hot chocolate and apple cider lay waiting; cookies, too. And Santa popped in for a visit — and photos — with the young and young-at-heart.

When the Community Resource EnVision Center took over the Festival of Trees last year, executive director Katie Begalke knew they wanted to make the Friends and Family Day event the focus of the annual fundraiser. The gala would still be a key fundraiser branch of the event, but the community celebration would be allowed to shine.

"Everything that is happening here today is strengthening our community," Begalke told the crowd during a break in the entertainment. "We are nothing without each other, and we hope that you come away understanding that; each of these groups here is the fabric of this community, and they help those that are in need."

Among the nine nonprofits who created trees for the event were Panhandle Special Needs, Inc., which created "The Carnivore's Christmas" tree, and Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc., which created the "Generations of Gingerbread" tree.

PSNI's theme for its tree may have started as a little bit of a joke — after all, what says Christmas better than a tree dedicated to meat, laughed PSNI's Sierra Nicholson. But, the more they thought about it, she said the nonprofit's board and supporters realized they were on to something.

"Once we brought up that our tree was called "The Carnivore's Christmas," everyone was saying, 'I want to be a part of that,'" Nicholson said.

Soon, an email thread had a growing list of items that could be included: a cooler, fishing gear, barbecue supplies, ornaments, craft beer, and more. 

Crowd reaction to PSNI's tree has been overwhelmingly positive, with many pulling out their phones to grab a quick photo or two. Some notice the cooler full of meat from Wood's, while others are quick to spot the handcrafted lures serving as ornaments.

PSNI's share of the funds raised — the non-profit will get half of the winning bid — will go toward its building fund, PSNI executive director Trinity Nicholson said.

The nonprofit is in the process of moving across the street from its current location on N. Boyer Avenue. While Panhandle Special Needs has been at the site since 1975, the campus layout is a hodgepodge of spaces "puzzled" together, Trinity Nicholson said.

They are excited by the chance to build a campus that is cohesive and fits the needs of its clients, something that will give PSNI a chance to expand, adding both new clients and programs.

Also attracting attention was the "Generations of Gingerbread" Christmas tree, the brainchild of Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc., with whimsical gingerbread creations, themed items for all ages, and something for the four-legged crowd as well.

"You don't have to be an artist, right, to do gingerbread," Bond said. "You can be a 2-year-old and enjoy making gingerbread. It's a lot of fun; it's whimsical; and it brings, really, the aspect of Christmas and the holidays in general that is just relaxed and enjoying family time together."

Bond said the senior center jumped on board with creating a tree for the event, both as a way to raise funds for its programs and to connect with the community and raise awareness of its programs, including its medical equipment loans and its meal programs.

While there are many for-profit programs for seniors, there aren't many, like SASI, that are nonprofits. To ensure it can offer its wide range of programs, it takes both awareness and community support. Events like Family and Friends Day help senior center staff and supporters spread the word about the center and raise invaluable funds at the same time, Bond said.

Many of the families attending said the chance to peek at the trees and have fun at the children's activities drew them to the event. They loved how they could come any time during the day's activities and be a part of something special in the community.

"There's multiple activities," Gwen Ruel said.

By midday, just short of 1,000 people had already popped into The Hive, which hosted the Festival of Trees community event.

"It's been incredible," Begalke said as she staffed the front door, welcoming both individuals and families to the event. "We've seen people of all ages come in. Everyone is excited to vote on their favorite gingerbread house."

Many were surprised, as they asked the cost while reaching for their wallets, when they were told the event was free.

"Have fun," she said as eager young hands pulled their parents through the door en route to the waiting Christmas magic.

Begalke smiled.

"I get to give them the opportunity to get involved in our community," she added.

Now in its second year under the resource center, Begalke said the nonprofit's board saw a chance to expand the event beyond its three-hour window and make it the centerpiece of the Festival of Trees. A partnership between the Angels Over Sandpoint and CREC, the gala is still a big part of the event and serves as the fundraising arm of the Festival of Trees, but the community day is its heart.

By expanding the event to fill the entirety of Small Business Saturday, it gave the resource center a chance to build upon the spirit of Thanksgiving and showcase everything that makes the greater Sandpoint area so special.

Helping sponsor the event were Averill Hospitality, Selle Valley Construction, Litehouse, KPND, and Terra Bache, State Farm Insurance. Durfee Construction sponsored the fourth-grade gingerbread contest, which attracted 12 schools between Bonner and Boundary counties.

The event is also a chance for the resource center to share its diverse range of services with the community as well as those offered by the more than 300 nonprofits in Bonner and Boundary counties.

"We're just so excited that we get the opportunity to interface with all of these people, young and old," Begalke said. "We define community as those in need and those helping needs and everyone in between, and that's what we're seeing here today, which is lovely."

    Lisa Bond, executive director of Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc., smiles as she talks about the center's "Generations of Gingerbread" Christmas tree.
  

    A family gets their picture taken with Santa Claus at Saturday's Festival of Trees Friends and Family Day event held by the Community Resource EnVision Center.
  

    Well over one thousand community members attended Saturday's Festival of Trees Friends and Family Day event held by the Community Resource EnVision Center.