The Garden City Telegram
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A crowd for a cause
Published 11/24/2008 in News
By MONICA SPRINGER
mspringer@gctelegram.com
About 350 people attended the Russell Child Development Center's annual Fantasy Tree Festival on Saturday night at the Clarion Inn, eager to bid on auction items to benefit children in southwest Kansas.
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Brad Nading/Telegram Janie Welsh, Sublette, bids on an item during the silent auction portion of the evening's activities Saturday at the annual Russell Child Development Center's Fantasy Tree Festival held at the Clarion Inn.
The main items that incited bidding wars included the best-of-show Christmas tree, which went for more than $3,000, a signed University of Nebraska football that went for $475, a girl's bookshelf with shoes and other items that sold for $1,400, and a wreath that sold for $1,000.
"It went very well," said Deanna Berry, director of the Russell Child Development Center. "There was some really great bidding."
The center made $12,000 more than last year for a total of $60,000, Berry said. That includes the auction items, cash donations and sponsorships. About $6,000 was generated through chance tickets for a television and a Nintendo Wii, Berry said.
There were six trees in the live auction and one tree in the silent auction. Other auction items were a children's scooter, jewelry donated by local jewelry stores, a margarita machine, Kansas State University and the University of Kansas apparel and memorabilia, and items from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Before the auction began, the audience heard from a local family who used the Russell Child Development Center after their daughter was born.
Matt and Kris Reimer, of Garden City, said they noticed something was wrong with their daughter, Darby, when she was 2 months old. She eventually was diagnosed with Leber's Congenital Amaurosis, a rare, hereditary disorder that leads to retinal dysfunction and visual impairment.
Matt Reimer told the crowd his daughter has some light perception, and can see when a light is turned on in a dark room.
The family's story reminded people at the fundraiser to focus on the kids that benefit from the Fantasy Tree Festival, said Lucie Crotts, project development manager at the Russell Child Development Center.
The center is a nonprofit organization that provides services to families with kids from birth to age 3.
The center provides special education services, including audiology screenings, family training and counseling, occupational therapy and physical therapy, speech-language pathology and vision services. The center makes home visits to families free of charge.
"This is for the kids," Berry said about the festival. "It's an investment in their future."
To focus on the center's mission, the staff hosted a children's Christmas party Saturday morning at the Clarion Inn for the children that the center's staff works with.
Kids got their picture taken with Santa Claus, colored and made crafts.
After the children's Christmas party there was a preview of the auction items Saturday afternoon.
The Fantasy Tree Festival started out more than 20 years ago much smaller in size. The event has slowly grown to include more than just trees, Berry said.
"We're grateful," Berry said, for the community's support of the center.
"We appreciate the community's confidence in us. It was a big night," Berry said.
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