Red Deer’s Festival of Trees received its first donation — $147,811.85 — from trades people and True-Line Contracting Ltd., who built the festival’s 2010 ‘Trade-itional’ Holiday Home.
In previous years, the annual festival has auctioned off a home. This year the festival has received a donation upfront from people who helped build the elegant new home.
Now the three-bedroom, 1,548-square-foot home at 56 Clearview Drive, a True-Line showhome, is up for sale for $499,900 to the public.
Kathy Lacey, co-chair of sponsorship for Festival of Trees, said eliminating the auction has raised more money for the festival. Despite all the upgrades put into festival homes in the past, they tended to be auctioned off at market price.
“When it doesn’t bring in extra money, we take the loss. This way everything is confirmed. This way, we know what our cheque is,” said Lacey at the grand opening of the home on Friday.
The risk has been eliminated at a time when the economy is softer and people are being careful with their money, she said.
The house is also being sold unfurnished.
“We’re keeping the price lower. We’re very aware people’s budgets are tighter right now.”
About 40 trades donated time and product to build the home.
“I think whoever gets this house will not only have a beautiful home, but the benefit of all the goodwill that went into it,” said Jacqueline Brooks, executive director of Red Deer Regional Health Foundation.
Festival organizers hope to introduce the buyers of the home at the festival’s preview dinner on Nov. 25.
Money raised at the 2010 festival raised goes to cardiopulmonary care, mostly equipment, at Red Deer Regional Hospital.
“We need another crash cart at the hospital. The last I heard, we only had one crash cart so if it’s on the third floor, then you have to wait,” Lacey said.
Brooks said out of the money raised so far, $56,000 is already being used for a new heart monitor. Less than a month ago, a monitor borrowed from Calgary malfunctioned. A patient went into cardiac arrest and the monitor’s alarms didn’t go off. Fortunately, hospital staff were on hand to save the patient.
“It’s an ongoing challenge to keep the hospital equipped with the things that the staff need to do their job and do it well,” Brooks said.
The 17th annual Festival of Trees runs Nov. 23 to 28 at Westerner Park. For information go to www.reddeerfestivaloftrees.ca.
Visit www.truelinehomes.com/showhomes.html. for information on the 2010 ‘Trade-itional’ Holiday Home.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com