Deck the Trees to spread light and warmth in dark times
Annual fundraiser to return for 10th year with new format
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
August 25, 2020
The 2019 Deck the Trees entry, submitted by Black Mountain Girl Scout Troop 2498, was recognized by organizers as the tree that best represented the theme, “Go Tell it On the Mountain.” Photo by Fred McCormick
When supporters and organizers of Deck the Trees gathered in The Monte Vista Hotel in January, there was plenty of cause for celebration and optimism. The annual fundraiser set record marks for participation in 2019, raising nearly $35,000 for the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund, and the 10th anniversary of the holiday event in 2020 was poised to be its biggest year to date.
Excitement quickly turned to uncertainty as the COVID-19 pandemic tightened its grip around the country and social distance became a new way of life, but a new format will expand the reach of the Christmas tradition throughout the town.
The concept of Deck the Trees took root in The Monte Vista Hotel in 2011. The idea was a simple, but festive one: local businesses and community organizations would decorate Christmas trees, to be displayed in the lobby of the historic boutique hotel. The public would vote for their favorite entry with cash and the money raised would be given to a local charity.
The fundraiser has contributed more than $115,000 to the fuel fund through its first nine years, according to long-time organizer Libba Fairleigh.
“We originally considered donating to a different charity each year, but it became apparent that the fuel fund was such an important need in our community,” said Fairleigh, one of the 10 members of the committee that produces Deck the Trees. “We know that this year the need is going to be even greater, and that’s why we felt that it was crucial to find a way to find a way to make it work.”
The traditional format of the fundraiser has featured all of the trees, creatively designed by organizations like the Black Mountain Fire Department, which raised the most money in 2019 and Black Mountain Girl Scout Troop 2498, which was recognized for being the entry that best represented the theme, “Go Tell it on the Mountain.” The Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center, Kilwin’s, the Black Mountain Beautification Committee and many other local organizations were represented as well. The number of entries has grown each year, and a total of 27 trees were displayed through the holiday season a year ago.
“We knew we were going to have to figure out a different format this year,” Fairleigh said. “It seems that this pandemic is going to be here for a while, so we had to come up with a way that we could spread out and not bring too many people into the hotel at the same time.”
This year, when Deck the Trees kicks off in early December, a dozen trees will be displayed in The Monte Vista, while local merchants will feature their entries in their storefronts. Each tree will feature a box that will allow anyone to vote for their favorite trees through a cash or check donation. A listing of all participating locations will be available through flyers and on the SVCM website, which will provide an option allowing people to vote for their favorite trees online.
The committee chose the theme, “And a Star Appeared,” to convey a message of hope, according to Fairleigh.
“What a great theme for a terrible time, and we can fill this town full of twinkling lights during the holiday season and support such an important charity,” she said. “We really have the opportunity to create an even bigger event.”
“We knew we had to do something”
Preparation for Deck the Trees begins in earnest each June, when the committee meets to begin contacting potential sponsors and organizing the annual opening gala.
“We had a brief meeting in February,” Fairleigh said. “We set up our dates for the events we normally hold, like tea at Highland Farms, visits with Santa and our annual gala. By the time we got together in June, everything had changed.”
Everyone expressed fear about the prospect of 2020, according to committee member Cindy Jordan.
“We went around the room and everyone said what they thought we should do,” she said. “A lot of people really had no idea what the answers were, but we knew we had to do something.”
The committee discussed postponing the fundraiser until 2021, and expressed concerns that the cancelation of the black tie gala and the economic challenges facing sponsors would deal a devastating blow to their efforts to raise funds.
“But, we knew we had to donate something to the fuel fund,” Fairleigh said. “As the months have gone on, people have realized that we are going to have to adapt, and we found ways to do that.”
The Black Mountain Fire Department is one of many community organizations that regularly enters the Deck the Trees at The Monte Vista Hotel. The department’s entry last year raised the most money for the annual fundraiser. Organizers have announced plans for an adapted version of Deck the Trees this holiday season. Photo by Fred McCormick
As organizers began contacting downtown merchants to discuss the idea of featuring the trees in stores, the response was overwhelmingly positive, according to Jordan.
“Some people were absolutely thrilled to have a tree in their business,” she said. “We can have all of the entries that people want this year, and the community can see them while social distancing, during a season when downtown isn’t as busy as it is in other months. It adds an additional community-wide element to it.”
The annual gala began in 2016 and immediately doubled the fundraising efforts.
“It’s such an important event for us, and unique one for our community,” Fairleigh said. “It’s a formal gathering in a really festive environment, and The Monte Vista is such a beautiful host. It has played a huge role in the success of Deck the Trees.”
The committee will still send out “Un-gala” invitations in 2020, seeking donations in lieu of attendance.
“The gala invitations have always been beautiful, almost like a wedding invitation,” Fairleigh said. “So we will send out formal invitations and ask them, if they are able, to give as though they are attending this year.”
The committee is still accepting sponsors and tree entries for the 2020 season.
Long, hard winter
The first eight months of this year have already taken a toll on many and the upcoming winter will be tough for many, according to Fairleigh.
“There will be a significantly higher need for heating assistance this winter,” she said. “People are still out of work. Hourly employees are having a hard time getting work, the service industry has been hit hard by this and all kinds of people are struggling through this time.”
While there was initially a great deal of uncertainty about how to proceed with the 10th year of Deck the Trees, there was clarity in its increased relevance during these difficult times.
“We live in such a caring community, and each year this event really highlights that,” Fairleigh said. “This year, we hope we can spread some cheer to more people in the Swannanoa Valley, and help people when they need it the most.”
For more information on how to support or participate in Deck the Trees, contact Libba Fairleigh at libbafairleigh@gmail.com.