Just before Thanksgiving each year, one event is sure to get people into the holiday spirit: The annual Jubilee Trees.
Faces behind Jubilee Trees
From festive wreaths to darling gingerbread houses, fancy table settings and lavishly decorated Christmas trees, the Jubilee Trees fills the Dixie Convention Center each year with a spirit of the season that keeps on growing.
And the whole event simply couldn’t happen without an army of volunteers.
Committees are organized for each of the several events that make up the Jubilee of Trees. Some of the traditional events included in the Jubilee Trees are:
- Gala dinner and auction
- Bar J Wranglers Bells and Boots concert
- Teddy Bear Picnic
- Fashion show and luncheon
- Night of Utah Stars concert
In addition, volunteers coordinate everything from the wreath display area, the gingerbread houses, previously loved trees, miniature trees, Santa’s workshop, children’s craft area, sweet shop and more.
“Jubilee wouldn’t happen without volunteers. It just wouldn’t,” Tomie Johnson, Foundation Relations manager for Intermountain Foundation Southwest Region, said during the set up for the 2016 event.
It’s something the volunteers themselves take very seriously.
“I wanted to do something that served the whole community, rather than an individual cause,” said Betsy Simmons, who has been volunteering with Jubilee Trees for more than 10 years.
Rosalee Scholes, another volunteer, agreed.
“It gets in your blood,” Scholes says. “It’s always been a great cause.”
Always for a good cause
The Jubilee Trees is put on each year by Dixie Regional Medical Center and Intermountain Healthcare as a fundraiser for a wide variety of healthcare related causes.
During the 2017 Jubilee Trees, the cause is focused on cancer care through precision genomics.
According to the Intermountain Healthcare web site, Precision Cancer Genomics is a new approach to treating cancer that has been found to “increase the lifespan of late-stage cancer patients at a lower cost than traditional methods.”
For several years Dixie Regional Medical Center has been on the cutting edge of Precision Cancer Genomics technology.
Festive feeling
In addition to raising money for a wonderful cause, the Jubilee Trees is all about bringing that festive feeling to the community. It’s hard not to feel swept up in the Christmas spirit from the moment you enter the Jubilee Trees. A wide variety of musical performers showcase their talents, providing beautiful background music for those wandering through the ornately adorned Christmas trees. Or pull up a chair and let the amazing talents of these performers take center stage.
Each tree at the Jubilee of Trees is a work of art. During the 2017 Jubilee Trees there were several standouts. But since every patron has their own idea of what makes the perfect tree, it’s best to walk through evergreen path through the Dixie Convention Center. There’s even a people’s choice award that gives each person who attends the Jubilee of Trees an opportunity to vote for their favorite.
For example, one tree showcased a large Grinch character from the classic Dr. Seuss story, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Another featured old fashioned skis and ice skates. Another used a number of Barbie dolls beneath the tree to portray a Christmas town.
If you like creative gingerbread houses, you should see this display area. And all the houses, wreaths and trees are available for purchase. This is the way the event raises money for the cause.
It is definitely an event to catch each year.
If you’re looking for a home in a community that celebrates Christmas while raising money for a great cause, check out the homes available here.
