2014 Christmas Tree Lane garners $6,000+ for local charities

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Bidders donated more than $6,000 to local charities this evening and went home with the 15 beautiful entries in the 2014 Christmas Tree Lane.

Here is the list of trees, with the winning bidders and the amount they paid:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters — Teresa Swisher, $325
• Brown Grand Theatre — Mickey Nelson, $200
• Cloud County Community College Foundation — Danette Toone, $800
• Cloud County Community Resource Council — Mark Hendershott, $925
• Cloud County Health Center — Mike Blochlinger, $550
• Cloud County Health Center Auxiliary — Jim LeDuc, $300
• Club 81 Youth Center — Dale’s Repair, $350 (The buyer donated it back to be re-auctioned, and the second buyer was Danette Toone, $325.)
• DVACK — Janet Lowell, $250
• Helping Hands — Missy LeDuc, $250
• Motherhouse Heritage Room Renovation Project — Greg Hattan, $210
• National Orphan Train Complex — Sue Sutton, $200
• NCK Down Syndrome Society — Debbie Kearn, $200
• NCK Paws — Debbie Kearn, $350
• OCCK Inc. — Dr. Jeremy Will, $500
• Relay For Life — Becky Craig, $300

Guests at tonight’s Christmas Tree Lane gala and last night’s Motherhouse Holiday Reception were also encouraged to make donations to the organizations while viewing the trees. And there was voting for the People’s Choice Award, which was presented this evening to OCCK Inc. for a tree decorated in delicate blue and silver ornaments.

The special award to OCCK was $200 donated by Bob and Lorene Steimel.

All the money raised in donations both evenings, plus ticket sales to this evening’s standing-room-only event and the live auction goes to each organization. The annual fundraiser is hosted by the Sisters of St. Joseph at the Nazareth Motherhouse as their gift to the community and to the organizations taking part.

Dannie Kearn donated his services as the guest auctioneer.