photo by: Joselyn King

Rebecca Niess, co-chair in charge of decorations for this year’s “Festival of Trees,” shows a small tree that she decorated. The festival continues through Saturday, Nov. 15 in the Pine Room at Oglebay Park.

WHEELING — It’s a festival about the beauty of Christmas trees, but at its heart it is all about raising funds to help those without proper insurance get health care.

The Festival of Trees kicked off Friday inside the Pine Room at Oglebay Park. The trees will be on display there from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Saturday, Nov. 15.

Cost to enter is $3 for adults and $1 for children, with proceeds benefitting Wheeling Health Right.

Rebecca Niess, co-chair in charge of decorations for this year’s Festival of Trees, reports decorators began setting up trees for the event last Sunday. The festival committee provides the trees to the decorators, and the decorators bring their skills and ornaments.

“We set the trees up and fluff them all out,” she said. “That way, the decorators can come right in and start their design. It makes things a lot smoother.

“It’s really cool. We see a group working over there and another over there, and everybody is quiet. Then all at once you see a beautiful tree evolve from all of that. Everybody is all excited. It’s like a family.”

Decorators have their choice of 5-foot or 7½-foot trees, or they may provide their own. Niess said the committee purchases the trees after each Christmas on sale from local stores for use the following holiday season.

Some of the smaller trees the decorators do at home, then they bring them to the Pine Room for set up.

“It comes from our hearts, it really does,” she said. “These are not professional decorators, but they look great.”

The Festival of Trees Committee will present the Sam DeCrease Award to the decorator who went above and beyond what was required of them, who put a lot of the time into the tree “and loved it,” according to Niess.

“They don’t think we’re watching them, but we watch,” she said.

The public will get the opportunity this week to buy the trees on display.

The trees will then be picked up by Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration and delivered to the purchasers on Sunday, Nov. 16.

“While they are moving the trees out (on Sunday), we are having a Christmas flea market. This is stuff not used by the decorators that we don’t have room to store,” Niess said.

The flea market will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Anne Ricci, executive director of Wheeling Health Right, reminded everyone that funds raised at the Festival of Trees will go to good use.

“This event raises vital funds that go directly to neighbors and friends who are in need of health care,” she explained. “Wheeling Health Right serves those who are uninsured or underinsured.

“People love tradition in the Ohio Valley, but at its heart this is more than just a celebration. The proceeds go toward helping Wheeling Health Right provide needed medical assistance.”