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More than 1200 visitors attended an annual exhibition of decorated Christmas trees in Warkworth’s old Masonic Hall this month, getting into the spirit of the season while contributing to a worthy cause.
The Treemendous event, hosted by the Lions Club of Kowhai Coast from December 2 to 10, featured about 70 spruced-up trees and a wide range of Christmas-themed decorations, toys and trinkets.
Organiser Liz Price says Santa made regular appearances, and a toy train making its way around the room was a popular attraction, as were mechanised toys, including a dancing penguin and break-dancing Santa.
“It was a great success,” she says. “The highlight of the whole thing is the children.”
Aside from a covid-imposed break in 2021, the Lions Club of Kowhai Coast has held the event every year since 2012, and it’s become its biggest fundraiser of the year. Liz says this year’s event raised around $6000, which will be presented to the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter service early next year.
The money was raised from entry fees, raffle tickets and a busy trading table, where visitors could buy Christmassy knick-knacks, mince pies and other goodies. Liz, who baked 500 pieces of shortbread for the table over the course of the week, says a group of around a dozen ladies worked hard at making the event a success.
It took two days to set up the hall, and a couple of hours to pack it all down, with husbands helping to dismantle and pack away items in an attic until next year.
Liz says the club would love to sign up new members, to help plan, run, take part in and enjoy its events and programmes. Info: 09 425 0969
