Deck the Trees is 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' in 2023
Annual fundraiser warms the holiday season in the Swannanoa Valley
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
December 5, 2023
An annual holiday tradition that assists local families and residents with heating bills through the cold winter months has returned for its 13th year.
Deck the Trees, which raises money for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund, features 45 trees displayed within the Monte Vista Hotel and at businesses throughout the Swannanoa Valley.
Twenty-three trees representing this year’s theme — “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” — are on display throughout the first floor of the Monte Vista Hotel, the presenting sponsor of event. The remaining entries can be viewed as far west as the Swannanoa Valley Animal Hospital, throughout downtown Black Mountain and in locations like Town Hall.
A complete list of participating locations can be found on SVCM Deck the Trees website linked here. Members of the public are invited to choose their favorite trees by donating $1. Votes are unlimited, and voters are encouraged to donate to vote as for as many trees as they would like. Donations are accepted in boxes next to each tree, or online through a QR code and the SVCM website.
The event raised $60,000 for the SVCM in 2022, as the nonprofit organization distributed approximately $100,000 in heating assistance. The expense is expected to increase significantly this winter.
Deck the Trees, which is organized by a committee of volunteers, has raised more than $250,000 to benefit the Fuel Fund since 2011. The fundraiser began with a small offering of trees in the Monte Vista Hotel, and expanded to business locations in 2020.
Photos of entries into the 2023 Deck the Trees fundraiser can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.