Hotel Indigo and Goodwill to host “Christmas in July” event for Festival of Trees sponsors

PRLog (Press Release) - Jul. 22, 2009 - The third-annual Festival of Trees is still more than four months away, but Southwest Florida is getting an early start to the year-end holidays at Goodwill’s “Christmas in July.”  The event will be held Thursday evening, July 30, at Hotel Indigo in the Fort Myers River District.

“We really hope to create some midsummer buzz for the Festival of Trees,” explains Carolyn Johnson, Vice President of Communications and Development for Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida.  “We also thought this would be a nice opportunity to thank our returning sponsors, and get to know some of the great people who may be helping to sponsor the Festival of Trees this year.”

The Hotel Indigo is a seven-story boutique hotel located in the heart of the Fort Myers River District.  Goodwill is excited to have Hotel Indigo on board as host of the “Christmas in July” event.  “We think they’re a great fit for the Festival of Trees,” says Johnson.

The highlight of the Christmas in July event will be the debut of “TIE the Traveling Tree.”  TIE (Transforming Individuals Everyday), a small holiday tree, will travel throughout Southwest Florida to promote the Festival of Trees.  Each TIE host will add an ornament to the tree, which will be auctioned off at the Tux and Trees Gala in December.  

The Festival of Trees is Southwest Florida’s premier holiday showcase, and the Tux and Trees Gala is the signature fundraising event of Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc.  In the event’s first two years, the Festival of Trees has raised nearly $100,000 to support Goodwill’s mission of helping people with disabilities and other disadvantages overcome their barriers to employment and independence.  More information about Goodwill's programs and services is available at http://www.goodwillswfl.org

The week-long holiday celebration begins the day after Thanksgiving (Friday, November 27) with a showcase of beautifully decorated Christmas trees and lavish holiday wreaths at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in the Fort Myers River District.  The holiday celebration culminates in “Tux and Trees” black-tie gala on Friday, December 4.

Individuals or organizations wishing to host TIE the Traveling Tree, or who would like to be a Festival of Trees sponsor, may contact Natalie Stratta at (239) 995-2106 ext. 249 or Carolyn Johnson, ext. 247.

Information about the Festival of Trees is available at http://www.tuxandtrees.com.

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Goodwill operates 24 thrift stores in SW Florida to support its mission of removing barriers to independence. Programs include income-sensitive housing, career placement assistance, the L.I.F.E. Academy Charter School, Four Wheels for Work, and others.

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/10289185/1