Festival of Trees to help charitable projects

Roberta Lateyice and her son, Jonathan Martinez, browse the selection of trees at the Kiwanis Club's Festival of Trees located in Gallup at the Rio West Mall. A drawing for the trees and packaged gifts will be Saturday December 1, 2007 in front of the old K-Mart center at the mall. The public is invited to purchase tickets for one dollar for two chances at winning the prizes. [Photo by Daneil Zollinger/Indpendent]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff writer

GALLUP — The Sunrise Kiwanis Club has a surefire way to get local folks into the Christmas spirit on Saturday.

With the purchase of some inexpensive tickets at the club’s Third Annual Festival of Trees, people have the chance to win one of 30 fully decorated Christmas trees and a variety of gifts donated by local businesses, organizations, and individuals. To top it off, proceeds from the event will go to fund charitable projects, mostly in the local community, and the lucky winners will be able to drive away with their tree and gifts on Saturday evening.

But just like at the day’s earlier events — the Red Rock Balloon Rally and Gallup’s annual Christmas Parade — come prepared for a crowd. You definitely won’t be the only person buying chances on that blue and silver decked Dallas Cowboy Christmas tree or the Gallup Special Olympics tree that comes with a $1,000 gift certificate.

“I’m telling people to bring a lawn chair,” Ethel Hill, the secretary for the Sunrise Kiwanis Club, said. Last year the drawing of the lucky tickets drew more than 1,700 people, she said, and the drawing takes two to three hours to complete. But in order to win, ticket holders must be present. On Tuesday, Hill was welcoming visitors to the Festival of Trees, which is located this year on the east side of the Rio West Mall, in what used to be a Chinese buffet restaurant. Visitors must use the exterior door, located between JC Penney’s and Beall’s, since there is no entrance from the interior of the mall.

However, Saturday’s drawing will be at 4 p.m. inside the mall, in front of the former Kmart store. Tickets will be on sale at the Festival of Trees up until 3:30 p.m., Saturday.
According to Hill, community members are welcome to visit the Festival of Trees during mall hours of 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and there is no admission fee to view the decorated trees. For those who want to purchase chances on specific trees and their gifts, tickets are two chances for a dollar.

Each tree — along with its decorations and accompanying gifts — has been donated for this charitable event.