Holy Cross Ministries raises funds for educational programs at Park City Rotary Club Christmas tree festival

Friday, Dec. 18, 2015

PARK CITY — Holy Cross Ministries was one of 28 beneficiaries in the first Park City Rotary Club Giving Tree Festival Nov. 28. 

The festival was open to all non-profit organizations located in or serving Summit County. 

High West Distillery and Saloon in Park City sponsored the Holy Cross Ministry tree, which was auctioned off to a Park City resident for $700.

To construct the tree, the HCM staff contracted with an artist to weld a metal tree structure. Then, with donations from High West Distillery and Saloon, they created a bottle tree with blue vodka bottles. A whiskey barrel was used as the base of the tree. They then included fake snow and topped the 6.5-foot-tall structure with a white star. Lights and careful placement made it appear that the 33 vodka bottles were pouring liquid.

The tree’s theme, “Raise a Glass to Education,” was chosen because the money from it benefited HCM’s school programs in Park City, said Patricia Graham, HCM advancement coordinator. 

“It is important to us to ensure that families living below the poverty level are still able to afford academic resources for their children,” she said. “HCM’s education programs provide a low-cost, safe, supportive and academically rigorous environment for over 250 at-risk students. The $700 is enough to provide two full-year scholarships for elementary-aged students to attend HCM’s education programs, including the full-day summer sessions, free of cost.” 

HCM participates in three elementary schools in Park City: McPolin, Jeremy Ranch and Parley’s Park. 

HMC’s School Readiness program helps 3- to 5-year-olds with English language skills so they are up to the standard level before they begin kindergarten, Graham said; about 90 percent of the students served by HMC are Hispanic.

The Park City Rotary Club decided to hold the festival as a way to increase funding for its grant program, said Cathy King, Park City Giving Tree Festival co-chairman and Rotary Club member. 

In the past the Rotary Club has raised more than $35,000 to give to nonprofits, but “when that amount is split 50 ways, it isn’t that much money,” she said. “The festival was a way for the nonprofits to be creative, put an effort toward raising some money and have 90 percent of the proceeds go back to them.”

For the festival, sponsors were solicited to pay for creation of the trees. The public was invited to view the trees at an open house, and the next day a dinner and live auction were held, with the trees going to the highest bidder.

“We were hoping to reach local businesses, restaurants, and second-home owners who pay to have their houses decorated with five or six trees,” King said. “It was funny. Word got around about the festival after it was over and people were trying to buy the trees from people who bought them.”