Goodwill's Festival of Trees Names Winners

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Dec. 12, 2017 - PRLog -- Goodwill's 11^th Annual Festival of Trees included six days of ushering in the holidays at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center and raised more than $74,000 for the Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation. Overall, the event raised 12 percent more than last year.

"We love offering this event to the community at such a beautiful venue and the revenue will go a long way toward helping people right here in Southwest Florida," said Rick Evanchyk, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc.

The foundation supports Goodwill's mission, which is serving people with disabilities and disadvantages by offering life-changing opportunities to achieve independence.

Twenty local businesses decorated artificial trees valued between $500 and $4,560, which were raffled during the event Nov. 28 through Dec. 3. The trees were delivered to the raffle winners homes by Two Men & A Truck Dec. 4.

Festival attendees cast 1,695 ballots for their favorites at an official Lee County Elections ballot booth.

Chico's FAS' Tree, Fierce & Fabulous Holiday was voted "Best All-around," "Most Traditional" Tree was decorated by SunTrust Bank, called "Little Bit of Shabby Chic, and "Most Creative" ribbon went to Costco Wholesale, whose tree "A Beary Special Christmas" appeared to fall over and was help up by a giant stuffed Teddy Bear.

Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson made his "Mayor's Choice" the SWFL Winter Wonderland, decorated by B & I Contractors.

"We couldn't do this event without the generous sponsors, especially The Home Depot who donates the trees and wreaths, in addition to always decorating a tree and offering crafts at Santa's Block Party," Evanchyk added.

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. Its mission is to help people with disabilities and disadvantages by offering life-changing opportunities to achieve independence.

Goodwill's programs in Southwest Florida include Pathways to Opportunity, Job-Link Resource Centers, small business training classes, disability-accessible housing, and more. The retail stores collect and sell donated items and new goods, which help fund the services and programs offered in Southwest Florida. 89 cents of every dollar goes back into supporting Goodwill's programs and services in our Southwest Florida area.  The organization is currently in its 51^st year of operation.

For more information about Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, please visit https://www.goodwillswfl.org or call (239) 995-2106.