THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 24, 1994 TAG: 9411240656
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
An Outer Banks holiday favorite, the Hotline crisis center's annual Festival of Trees, helps kick off the Christmas season Dec. 3.
The sixth annual event will be held at the Ramada Inn in Kill Devil Hills, starting at noon. All proceeds go to benefit the Outer Banks Hotline Crisis Intervention Center. Last year's event raised more than $19,000.
``This is our biggest fund-raiser of the year,'' said Kirsten Justice, Resource Development Specialist for Hotline. ``It's important to note that none of the money we raise goes to salaries, but instead to operating expenses, such as the shelter, and helping people in need with things like electric bills.''
About 5 percent of Hotline's annual operating budget comes from the festival, the remainder from private donations and the center's thrift store.
At least 50 Outer Banks businesses and organizations decorate trees and donate prizes for the Saturday night auction. The event is free and open to the public. A trip to the Bahamas and other prizes will be on the auction block.
``One of the things that makes this event so special is that it's one of only a few charity events on the Outer Banks that's open to the general public,'' Justice said.''
From noon until 5 p.m. Saturday, the Hall of Trees will be open in the Ramada Inn ballroom. At 6 p.m., a cocktail hour begins with a cash bar, and blues singer Laura Martier providing entertainment. The auction begins at 8.One of the special trees at this year's event will feature angel ornaments. The tree, sponsored by the Dare Voluntary Action Center (DVAC) will place an ornament for every ``thank you'' note placed in collection boxes around the area. The angels are made by local elementary schoolchildren, local Brownie troops, and residents of Britthaven Nursing Home.
Individuals can write notes to people who have done good deeds over the past year. Collection points will be located at area churches, the Kill Devil Hills public library, Wal-Mart in Kitty Hawk and the Dare County campus of the College of the Albemarle. The angel tree will be auctioned at the festival.
``There is something magical about the festival,'' said Justice. ``That ballroom looks like any other ballroom in any other Ramada Inn. But when people come together to decorate those trees, the place is transformed. No one person could do that. It takes an entire community.''
For more information on the Festival of Trees, call 919-473-5121. For more information on the DVAC Angel Tree, call 919-480-0500. by CNB