Christmas Gala at Cheney Marketplace features trees full of gifts that are up for winning
A takeoff of a popular Spokane holiday fundraiser will launch in Cheney on Dec. 1 with the Christmas Gala.
Featuring donated and decorated trees provided by area businesses and groups, and stocked full of various gifts, the goal of the event that is showcased through Saturday, Dec. 23 at the Cheney Marketplace is to raise funds for veteran’s organizations.
The event is similar to “Trees of Elegance,” which takes place in Spokane at the Davenport Hotel and raises money for the Spokane Symphony.
Eight trees from Copy Junction, Sweet Pea Boutique, DCI Cable, Yoke’s Fresh Market, the Eastern Washington University Alumni Association, Village Centre Cinemas, Stars and Stripes Car Club and AMG Auto Repair all feature dozens of valuable prizes.
The trees gift value ranges from $500 to over $1,200, Lori Musgrave, owner of Cheney Marketplace said. “We’ll have over 1,200 (total) gifts and prizes on them,” she added.
Tickets are $1 each with the goal to sell $10,000, which will be turned over to veterans assistance organization Time of Remembrance and the Cheney VFW. Donors purchase tickets and deposit them in the box — or boxes — associated with the tree — or trees — they would most like to win.
Cheney Mayor Tom Trulove will, as one of his final civic duties, draw winning tickets on Dec. 23. “You win everything, the tree decorations and all the gifts on the tree,” Musgrave said.
Trees began to be assembled on Nov. 18 and participants have until Dec. 1 to finish their entry. While not every tree will be completed in time for “Small Business Saturday,” on Nov. 25, Musgrave said there will be quite a few ready to accept bids.
“We’re going to transform the entire store into a Christmas Wonderland,” Musgrave said.
The Spokane Gold Star Mothers are helping promote the event. They hope to get Spokane people out to Cheney to participate. The national organization American Gold Star Mothers was founded in 1928 by mothers who lost children in World War I.
Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.
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