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You are invited December 7, 2011 from 6-8 pm to celebrate the holiday with Anderson Ford in Clinton, Illinois

Earlier this month we were talking with Randy Anderson  and learned that over they years they have purchased 19 trees at the Festival of Trees.

This year, they have decided to share the beauty with the community!

“Ann and I can’t remember exactly what year we started buying trees but we think it’s around 2005.  We have purchased a total of 19.  Two of those we have given away.“

This year, Anderson Ford will have 15 of those trees on display in the dealership.

“We have tried to keep all the themes together.  Because it is to amazingly beautiful when we turn out all the lights many of us just stop for 3-5 minutes before we go home to look because it is so spectacular.   We have decided this year on Wednesday, December 7th we are going to close at 6, and invite the public to walk thru the dealership and have cookies and hot chocolate for our guests from 6-8.“

They will have the trees on display after Thanksgiving through the first of the year.

Here is a link to the pictures from last year and more details on this year.  http://www.anderson-ford.com/news/-showroom-of-trees-.htm

Thank you to Anderson Ford for their continued support of The Baby Fold and The Festival of Trees!

Today we talk with Peggy Golden.  This is her first year designing for the Festival.

What is Your Design Inspiration?

My design for this year’s Festival is a diaper tree centerpiece.  Our museum board is almost all grandmas with one wish for healthy grandchildren, and our museum is housed in the Crumbaugh Library which was built by the Crumbaughs in honor of the child they lost.

The Crumbaughs even added a Spiritualist Church to the library wishing that they could contact that little lost boy.  He lived for only 6 weeks in the early 1900′s.  We loved the theme for this year [My Only Wish], and babies became our plan.

I had just made a diaper cake for my daughter-in-law’s shower and a diaper tree came to mind.  33 years ago, my only wish was for a baby from the Baby Fold an that baby is now the father of this new baby, my grandchild!!

Today we talk with Festival Operations Chair Barbara Knapp.  Barb has been volunteering with the Festival for a number of years, so we took a moment to ask her a couple of questions about volunteering.

Today we talk to Amber Spiewak who has worked on a number of entertainment committees for the Festival.

How/Why Did You First Get Involved with the Baby Fold and the Festival of Trees?

I first started with The Baby Fold because my sorority, Kappa Delta, does a Bowl-a-Thon every year to raise money for The Baby Fold. 

Andrea Ostling and Val Funk of the Calvary United Methodist Church are designing for the first time this year.  We met up with them after they attended the Jeffrey Allan designer workshop.  They shared why they decided to design this year and the messages they want the Calvary preschoolers to learn.

Marj Taylor has been decorating for the Festival for a number of years.  Today we talk to her about why she is involved in the Festival and get a sneak description of the tree she will be designing.

Designer Susan Hoblit has been involved with the Festival of Trees since the very beginning!  Today we interview her to learn why she is involved and get a sneak description of what she is designing this year.

Today we talk with Carolyn Yockey who has been a long-time volunteer for Festival.

How/Why Did You First Get Involved with the Baby Fold and the Festival of Trees?

A proud mother, Susan Hoblit and I gave birth to the Festival of Trees in 1994. Previously, we had visited the one in the Quad Cities and were excited to develop our own version. We chaired the first 6 Festivals and have continued to be involved.