The Giving Tree Festival

About a month back I received a phone call from Mrs. Marlow, a local retired teacher and amazing member of our community. She called to tell me about her upcoming annual Giving Tree Festival. She started it last year with a friend as a way to give to someone in need in the community, and this would be their second year. She wanted to know if I would accept her invitation to be the recipient this year. 

I felt really awkward, but she insisted, and so I humbly accepted. Sometimes it's been hard for me to ask for and to receive help from others, but as a family, we have been very thankful for all the help we have received this past year, whether it be in the form of meals or financial donations. In truth, we couldn't have made it through without the financial help. 

The Giving Tree Festival consists of people or businesses in the community donating a fully decorated, 6 foot Christmas Tree. Those trees are then raffled off and all the proceeds go to the recipient.  People could also just donate a sum of money without bidding on a tree if they wanted as well. 

The Giving Tree Festival was held on Friday and Saturday, November 3rd and 4th at the Goldendale Grange. The Grange not only provided the venue, but the Ladies of the Grange also cooked and supplied the meal for both nights. 

I wasn't feeling well enough to go on Friday, but we did go Saturday. I was nervous, as I don't like being the center of any attention, but I wound up having a lot of fun, and I did feel that it was important to be present and allow people to meet me and see where their donation was going. I also feel very strongly about sharing my story with others, so it allowed me the opportunity to do so. 

My Mom, as well as my Dad who was still up visiting from NY, came as well (though I failed to get photos of them there, darn it). My best friends Mary and Molly came to support the event too, which made me super happy. 

We had a lot of fun! So many people donated incredibly beautifully decorated trees. And a lot of people showed up! We stayed the whole evening, long enough to enjoy a delicious chili dinner and be there when Mrs. Marlow read the winning raffle ticket of each tree. Much to my family's disappointment, we didn't win a tree, hahaha, but clearly we were the real winners that evening....seeing as we were the recipients of the whole shebang! 

I feel an incredibly deep gratitude to Mrs. Marlow and the community as a whole. A lot of money was raised, way more money than I could have ever anticipated, and that money will be such a huge help to us as me move into the new year and our health deductible resets. I really hope I am able to donate a tree next year. I'm not sure we'll have the finances to do so, but maybe. 

I also wanted to share two other friends who have helped our family this past year. 

Back in July, my friend and tattoo artist, Jacob, held a grand opening for his new location here in Goldendale. All proceeds from the people he tattooed that day he set aside for me.  

My friend Heather, who owns and operates The Human Bean coffee shop in Yakima also donated proceeds from their Coffee For A Cure to myself and another cancer fighter.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to thank these friends enough for their thoughtfulness and help. Thank you just doesn't seem like enough. I am just at a loss of words to express my gratitude towards these people who didn't have to help, yet went above and beyond anything I could have ever imagined for us. I'm still in shock and awe over this outpouring of love. 

With love,

Mama Hauck