Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 03/01) - Red Deer, Alta., has one, Grand Prairie has one, even Edmonton has one. Now thanks to NorthwesTel, Yellowknife can celebrate the spirit of giving with its own Festival of Trees.

A fundraising effort by the Stanton Regional Hospital Foundation, the festival will feature a Christmas tree auction, daily entertainment and other activities for children and their parents.

If successful, it will help Stanton Regional Hospital fill the need for cardiac equipment, said Mark Walker, vice-president of customer solutions for NorthwesTel.

The corporate sponsor announced last week a three-year, $25,000 commitment to the festival. "Because of their sponsorship, we're able to say this is going to go ahead," said festival chairperson Jodi Woollam.

Sponsorship rather than a cash donation allows the foundation to raise further funds.

"This gives (people) the opportunity to participate in a really fun community event," said Woollam, "and really gets them into the giving spirit for Christmas."

The festival, this year with the theme Jingle Bell Hearts, will take place at the St. Patrick-Weledeh gymnasium from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.