COEUR d’ALENE — The Festival of Trees Gala is a shining night for people to dress up, cut loose and enjoy a winter ball in a chic and festive environment.

But at its heart, the event is steeped in philanthropy and compassion, serving as a venue for local people to help their community and support their local hospital.

"As big as Coeur d’Alene’s gotten, we’re still a really tight community. People rally around causes that are important, and the hospital is one of them,” said Kootenai Health Foundation manager Britt Towery. "People want to make sure that we have the best care available as close to home as possible, and they’re willing to come out here and support us. It’s amazing."

The 28th annual Festival of Trees Gala brightened the convention bays of The Coeur d'Alene Resort with a festive holiday glow Saturday evening as more than 450 attendees mingled, dined and danced in glittering gowns and crisp tuxes and suits.

About 30 creatively decorated and lavishly loaded Christmas trees lined the walls for guests to view and enjoy and later in the evening make a bid for. Tree themes ranged from Life Flight Network's "North Idaho Adventure," which featured ski lift tickets, a wakeboard and a family retreat package, to Tomlinson Sotheby's International Realty's "Home on the Green" display, which included a golf cart retro-fitted into an entertainment bar, several rounds of golf, golf memorabilia, apparel and more.

"It's fun to see the trees and see how giving the community is," guest Ann Thomas of Coeur d'Alene said while viewing trees with her friend Jillian Caires of Dalton Gardens.

"It's beautiful," Caires said. "The lights on all the trees look really pretty in the dimmed room. There are so many fun, festive outfits. There's just glitter everywhere, I like it."

Towery said the goal for the paddle raise auction was $100,000.

“Ideally, in a perfect world, I would love to blow that number out of the water, but that is our goal tonight," she said.

Later in the evening, Towery reported that more than $285,000 was raised between the tree auction and paddle raise. During the paddle raise, Knudtsen Chevrolet Dealer Principal Eve Knudtsen stood and gave a $25,000 challenge match to the audience.

"It was so successful she stood again for another $10,000 match," Towery said.

Funds raised at the gala will help support projects to expand the emergency department and operating rooms at Kootenai Health to accommodate the growing and aging regional population.

Critical care and emergency services executive director Todd Putren said when it comes to the community supporting its local hospital, "you can't get much better than that."

"We are so blessed to have a community that cares enough, especially with our foundation organizing this," he said. "It's amazing how many people are here. If you look at all the years past, you see how many people have donated for furthering services for Kootenai, and it's pretty cool."

Putren said the funds will help bolster the expansion process and ensure the trauma rooms have what they need down to every detail. As a nurse by trade and nature, Putren deeply cares that his patients receive the best care.

“I feel like I am blessed to be a part of somebody’s most intimate spot in their life. They’re coming to the ER, they don’t want to be there, but I feel like I’m so lucky," he said. "What I tell my nurses is, 'You were given a gift to be in the most intimate spot in somebody’s life. Don't take that for granted.'"