Festival of Trees raises funds for safe, affordable homes
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 8 months AGO
Beau, left, and Cortney Koehn of Moses Lake look over the “Home Alone” tree at the 30th annual Habitat for Humanity Festival of Trees Dec. 7. The tree, donated and decorated by Moses Lake Industries, included luggage so the buyer could abandon their family before the family abandoned them, according to the auction book.
JOEL MARTIN/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
From left: Josh Bruce, Yvette Ferranti and Crystal Bruce look over desserts at the Festival of Trees Dec. 7.
A blue and silver glow comes from the Winter Wishes tree donated to the Habitat for Humanity Festival of Trees by Friend of Habitat Dawn Mabius.
Thirteen different trees were arrayed around the ATEC Building at Big Bend Community College for the 30th annual Habitat for Humanity Festival of Trees.
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | December 20, 2024 3:00 AM
MOSES LAKE — It was an evening of glittery trees, gaudy sweaters and holiday cheer at the Festival of Trees, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Moses Lake’s annual banquet, auction and fundraiser. The event raised a little more than $70,000, according to Executive Director Rebecca Mabius.
This is the 30th year Habitat has put on the Festival of Trees.
Thirteen businesses and individuals each donated a Christmas tree decorated with a theme, many of them pre-laden with gifts. There was a “Home Alone”-themed tree by Moses Lake Industries with a Lego set and puzzle, a DoorDash card, luggage and a Ring Home Security System, to keep the Wet Bandits from invading the buyer’s home. The Vintage Country Christmas tree, donated by Cobie’s Dry Cleaning, Enchanted Gowns and Sage Academy, had homemade leather ornaments, burlap garlands and a cowboy hat topper. Youth Dynamics contributed a Bob Ross “Happy Little Tree,” with a waffle maker, socks and a Bob Ross plush character complete with paintbrush. Guild Mortgage’s contribution was a sparkly champagne-themed tree.
Enzo’s catered the dinner, and beverages were supplied by Eleventh Hour and Shenanigenz.
Robin and Angela Moore of Moses Lake were there, she in glittering green finery and he in a snowman-spangled suit that rivaled any ugly Christmas sweater ever knitted. They both agreed that the wine was excellent but were split on which tree they’d like to take home. Robin had his eye on the “Build a Better Future” tree by CAD Homes, with miniature hard hats and construction tools.
“I like the ‘Home Alone’ tree as well,” he said.
“Between you and I, I think the Guild tree wins,” Angela said.
Five nonprofit organizations had contributed smaller trees as well, and the price those brought in was shared between the donor and Habitat. There was also a dessert dash, a silent auction, a wreath raffle and a German Christmas pickle hunt.
Traditionally, the pickle is hidden and whoever finds it gets an extra present, Mabius said, but for the Festival of Trees, organizers hid five pickles around the venue just for fun.
“The gift is finding a pickle,” Mabius said. “I think it’s hilarious having grown adults trying to find a Christmas pickle. People enjoy it.”
Every year Habitat honors someone in the community with the Golden Hammer Award for their contributions, and this year’s honoree was Griselda Lopez of WaFd Bank.
“She was the organization president for many years and dedicated a lot of time and energy,” Mabius said. “She's also been a continuous supporter.”
From left: Josh Bruce, Yvette Ferranti and Crystal Bruce look over desserts at the Festival of Trees Dec. 7.
A blue and silver glow comes from the Winter Wishes tree donated to the Habitat for Humanity Festival of Trees by Friend of Habitat Dawn Mabius.
Thirteen different trees were arrayed around the ATEC Building at Big Bend Community College for the 30th annual Habitat for Humanity Festival of Trees.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Quincy National Night Out scales down
QUINCY — Quincy’s National Night Out was more compact this year, which worked out well, said QPD Sgt. Joe Westby, who’s in charge of event planning for the Quincy Police Department. “National Night Out is a big event, and the fact that we’re able to shrink it up is like a breath of fresh air,” Westby said. “If you're always doing the same thing, it's kind of nice to switch things up and see how it works.” National Night Out took place Thursday on the block of C Street next to the police station, a shift from previous years when it was held at Lauzier Park. The smaller space meant fewer emergency vehicles for children to explore, but it also meant less walking for attendees. Grant County Fire District 5 brought a fire truck, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office had a patrol boat. Renew, the Grant County behavioral health agency, had a booth and so did Quincy Partnership for Youth. Veterans Operation Creation sang the national anthem, and the Quincy Animal Shelter brought kittens that piled over each other making friends with passersby. As before, the QPD served grilled hot dogs.
Quincy Police retirements leave big shoes to fill
QUINCY — There are some big shoes to fill at the Quincy Police Department. “We’re losing 48 years of experience between them,” Quincy Police Chief Ryan Green said at the retirement party for Capt. Jorge Trujillo and Det. Damon Powell Thursday. Trujillo, who grew up in Sunnyside, has been with QPD for 19 years, he said, coming on as a patrol officer fresh out of the military. From there he served as a field training officer, a detective and finally captain. “I consider him my left-hand man,” Green said. “He runs the operations side of the house … He knows the agency very well, and he knows the community.” Trujillo has some projects around the house to tackle now that he’s retired, he said.
Big fun on a small scale
Wheat Land Communities’ Fair opens Thursday
RITZVILLE — The Wheat Land Communities’ Fair isn’t as big or as flashy as some of the county fairs around central Washington, but the folks who keep it going like it just the way it is. “It’s somewhere you can go and get an old-time traditional feeling, and you’re comfortable letting your kids roam the grounds and experience all that it has to offer,” said Board Member Lori Williams. “It’s more of a feeling than (one) specific thing,” The fair starts Thursday in Ritzville and runs through Sunday. Starting Friday, the 56th Ritzville Rodeo will take place alongside the fair at the rodeo grounds. This year the entertainment budget was expanded, Williams said, to be able to offer more fun that’s covered by the cost of admission. For the kids, there’s face painting, balloon art, Lego crafts, races, contests and games. Children can also ride on a little train towed around the fairgrounds behind a tractor.