Springfield Garden Club hosts Festival of Trees

One event in Springfield that helps to kick off this time of year is the Springfield Garden Club’s Festival of Trees. This year’s event was held at the Great Hall in the former Fellows Gear Shaper Building.
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Springfield Garden Club Hosts Festival of Trees Submitted by VT Journal on Mon, 11/24/2014 - 4:20pm By LAUREN DRASLER The Shopper SPRINGFIELD, VT -The holiday season is fast approaching, and one event in Springfield that helps to kick off this time of year is the Springfield Garden Club’s Festival of Trees. This year’s event was held at the Great Hall in Springfield, which is an art venue that’s housed in the former Fellows Gear Shaper Building at 100 River Street. Eight corporate trees from businesses in Springfield were displayed at the event, and other decorations were provided and hung up by the Springfield Garden Club. Those that attended the event paid an entrance fee of $30, and all proceeds from the event benefitted the Springfield Garden Club for their beautification efforts in town and scholarships that they provide for area students. “This is the 22nd year for the Festival of Trees and the second year we’ve had the event at the Great Hall,” Springfield Garden Club President Jocelyn Zezza said. “Any business that wants to decorate a tree is eligible to do so, but they provide their own tree.” Zezza said that many businesses that decorate trees and provide them for the event have done so in the past. Zezza also said that the reason for hosting the event in the Great Hall was because of how big the venue is at the facility. “In the past, we’ve had the event other places,” she said. “But the other venues have gotten crowded and people were elbow to elbow. The Great Hall makes a terrific place to host the event.” According to Zezza, all the hot food and wine was provided by 56 Main Street Restaurant, while the cold food was prepared by the Garden Club. The Garden Club also provided all the other decorations that were featured at the Festival of Trees, and spent the week leading up to the event decorating and updating the holiday lights to make them more eco-friendly. “We tried to go more green,” Zezza said. “The lights are LED and all the items that for sale were made with natural materials. A silent auction was held during the event, and baskets that were provided by area businesses were raffled off during the Festival of Trees as well. Musical entertainment was provided by the East Bay Jazz Ensemble. Wreaths and other holiday decorations were for sale by the Springfield Garden Club. Zezza said that all the proceeds from the Festival of Trees covers the expenses for beautifying the town, and to provide scholarships for local students. “All proceeds go to civic beautification and scholarships that are provided by the Garden Club,” she said. “We decorate the town office, plaza, plant flowers and do a clean-up in the spring and fall of Route 106, Route 10 and Springweather. We also pay for a $4,000 scholarship for area students that are interested in agriculture.” This year’s scholarship recipient is Leigh Buldoc, who is a freshman at Vermont Technical College (VTC) in Randolph, Vermont. “This scholarship is very helpful and I’m grateful for it,” he said. “I’m studying landscaping design and sustainable agriculture.” Buldoc said he first became interested in agriculture and landscaping after starting his own business at age 15. He also participated in the horticulture program at the River Valley Technical Center. Buldoc also said that he has enjoyed his time at VTC because of the hands-on learning environment. Springfield Garden Club member Marita Johnson said that scholarships have always been part of the Garden Club and that she enjoys being able to support a local student. “Students from the Springfield area are eligible for the scholarship,” she said. “We work with area high schools and guidance counselors and put ads in the paper to help make people aware that we offer scholarships.” Johnson said that she appreciates the community’s support in regard to the scholarships that the Garden Club provides every year. “It’s wonderful to have the support of the community to come out to the Festival of Trees for scholarship students,” she said. Community members that came to the event had many good things to say about the Springfield Garden Club and their efforts for the community. “I came to support the Garden Club,” Springfield resident Diane Root said. “They do a great job of beautifying the town.” Root said that this was her sixth time attending the event. Chester resident Townshend Gilbert agreed with Root and said that he attended the event to support the Garden Club as well. “I wanted to help support the Garden Club because of all the good things they do in Springfield,” he said. “My wife is a member, and the Garden Club does a lot to help the community and make the community look good.” - See more at: http://www.vermontjournal.com/content/springfield-garden-club-hosts-festival-trees#sthash.AlYxo2KY.dpuf