WAUSAU-The Aspirus Health Foundation is pleased to announce the 24th annual Festival of Trees – Virtual Event and Online Auction raised $109,000 to support end-of-life care for patients and families in our community.
To accommodate safety precautions during the global COVID-19 pandemic, they opted to hold the fundraising event virtually. Moving the event online, anyone could view and bid on 108 holiday trees, wreaths, mantels, and specialty items, which were donated by people in our community for raffle and silent auction during the week of Thanksgiving.
Kim Smerda, Fund Development Specialist, remarked, “We are so glad that we were able to still have this important community event in some way. Our goal was $150,000. We are grateful for the support of businesses, individuals, and volunteers who helped make this community fundraising event a success, and we could not do it without them,” added Smerda.
One goal was to continue to provide some of the favorite things our guests love when they attend the Festival of Trees, so past festival musical performers were invited to submit videos, and there are videos of holiday crafts to make, and new this year was a nightly Story Time videos.
Jim Kryshak Jewelers partnered to design an exclusive Festival of Trees bracelet, with $20 of each bracelet sold going to Aspirus Comfort Care & Hospice Services. You can purchase online or at the store for $45, https://www.jimkryshakshop.com/ until they sell out.
Proceeds will support high-quality end-of-life care for people in our community through Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services, including two community bedrooms at Aspirus Hospice House for patients with identified financial need.
“Again, we thank all who support the Aspirus Health Foundation and Festival of Trees event…as we could not do it without them,” added Smerda.
Donations can be sent to the Aspirus Health Foundation, 425 Pine Ridge Blvd., Wausau, WI 54401 or online at www.aspirus.org/foundation
To see videos and photos of items during the Aspirus Festival of Trees, please visit the bidpal.net/wausaufot or visit the Aspirus Health Foundation Festival of Trees YouTube Channel.

About Aspirus- Aspirus is a non-profit, community-directed health system based in Wausau, Wisconsin. With more than 7,000 employees, Aspirus serves communities throughout northern and central Wisconsin, as well as the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated system includes four hospitals in Michigan and four hospitals in Wisconsin, 50 clinics, home health and hospice care, pharmacies, critical care and helicopter transport, medical goods, nursing homes and high-quality affiliated physicians. For more information, visit aspirus.org.