Festival of Trees Raises over $92,000

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Jan. 14, 2014 - PRLog -- Goodwill Industries’ seventh annual Festival of Trees and Tux & Trees Gala, presented by FineMark National Bank & Trust, is celebrating the end of another successful fundraiser.  The combined events raised over $92,000 to support The Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation.

The Festival of Trees is a week-long showcase of holiday trees, each beautifully decorated by Southwest Florida businesses, organizations, and individuals.  More than 5,000 people visited this year’s free holiday showcase at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center.

The Festival concluded December 7 with the Tux & Trees Gala, a black-tie charity auction which serves as the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation’s primary fundraiser.  Auctioneer Mike Joyce and hostess Stacey Adams of WINK News sold 26 trees at the Gala’s live auction.

The top-selling tree was the annual Very, Beary Christmas tree. The tree, which featured over 600 new teddy bears donated by the community, raised $13,800. The tree was donated to the children’s hospital.

“Every year we grow this event,” says Goodwill’s Community Relations Coordinator Madison Mitchell. “The Festival of Trees has become such a holiday tradition for so many families in Southwest Florida.”

Over 300 people attended the Tux & Trees Gala, an event record.

“Last year we had about 250 RSVP for the event,” says Mitchell. “This year, the support was just outstanding. Everyone was having a great time.”

The Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation provides long-term financial support to the programs and services of Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida.  In 2013, Goodwill provided life changing opportunities to over 37,000 Southwest Floridians through programs such as Job-Link centers, the SWFL MicroEnterprise program, disability-accessible housing, and the Goodwill L.I.F.E. Academy charter school.

The Festival of Trees and Tux & Trees Gala were made possible by event sponsors: FineMark National Bank & Trust, GCG Construction, The Home Depot, Azteca America/Univision SWFL, D’Latinos Magazine, Grandeur Magazine, The News-Press Media Group, Sunny 106, Ryder, OFM Builders & Consultants, g3 Catering, Jason’s Deli, Two Men and a Truck, HONC Destruction/Environmental/Marine Contracting, and East Coast Recycling Equipment.

For more information, or to be part of the 2014 Festival of Trees, visit www.tuxandtrees.com or call (239) 995-2106 ext. 2213.