SANDPOINT — The bidding has begun this week at Bonner General Health on fully-decorated tabletop Christmas trees and gifts, with themes surrounding food, drink, board games, manicures and more.

About 25 trees were decorated and donated by staff from the different departments of the hospital. The silent auction started Monday and continues through Thursday at 4 p.m.

"It's certainly a good cause," said Sue Clemens with the BGH Volunteer Council.

The BGH Volunteer Council has hosted the event during the first full week of December for more than 10 years to help hospital staff and volunteers further their education, said Margo Johnson, council chairman.

"Whoever needs to go further in their schooling, we provide a monetary amount to them," Johnson said. "Usually it's for books and gas, that type of thing. That's why we have this fundraiser — so we have the funds to do that."

Johnson said the fundraiser usually garners about $2,500 to $3,000 to help with the education fund.

By mid-afternoon on Monday, every tree had at least one bid on it. Along with the trees decorated in many colors with lots of goodies to be had, the winning bid on the Giving Tree, a hand-crafted wooden tree, will not only benefit the BGH education fund, but a donation of $700 from the contributors of the tree will be given to Food for Our Children in the bidder's name. There is also a "Pay it Forward" tree, where the winning bidder will donate the tree and trimmings to a family or charity of their choosing.

The "Bearly" Christmas tree, decorated with a dozen Teddy Bears, is not up for auction but is the prize for a raffle drawing to be held Dec. 15. Tickets are on sale for $1 each or six for $5.

Winners will pick up their trees on Friday by 5 p.m. The silent auction is located in the BGH classrooms next to the gift shop, 502 N. Third Ave.