HELENA — Intermountain is turning the Helena Civic Center into a winter wonderland for their annual fundraiser.
Intermountain's director of special events Beth Wheelers says, “Festival of Trees is really a celebration of our community, it is a celebration of our volunteers and designers and sponsors. It is just a way for everyone to come together and really celebrate the season while helping Intermountain do the vital work that we do with children and families in Montana.”
With the help of 300 volunteers the Civic Center is filled with trees, wreaths, and other holiday goods that are up for auction to support the work that Intermountain does with children and families with mental and behavioral health challenges.
Jamie Palagi is the CEO of Intermountain. She took over in April, around six months after program challenges and the near closure of its Helena residential facility.
She shared the changes and growth Intermountain has seen in the months since.
“Intermountain as an organization has been working really hard to be strong and every day good things are happening and so that is something really worth celebrating," Palagi says. "We have expanded programs, partnering with some schools, with parenting classes and also school-based therapy.”
Additionally, they aim to fill the residential program.
Festival of Trees will help reinforce those changes and support the 1,200 individuals helped by Intermountain.
The theme of this year's fundraiser is a 'Perfectly Proposterous Christmas' and designers of all ages decorated trees on Tuesday, including 9-year-old Olivia who has been designing trees for four years.
She says, “I do it because it is fun. You just get to get together and make tons of trees and it just feels like Christmas at home but for other people.”
The events run from Wednesday to Saturday and you can see the full list of events and details here Festival of Trees.
