Eighty Christmas trees and wreaths line the main hallway of the Kokomo Mall, spanning the distance between Elder-Beerman and JC Penney department stores.
The artificial evergreens are filed neatly in twos, each with a white plastic bucket and sign indicating their names.
That is about where the uniformity stops.
Last week, hundreds of people swarmed the mall for the start of the Trim-A-Tree Festival.
During the event, teams put personalized touches on their trees. Every tree has a name and almost every name has a theme.
The teams decorated their trees based off their themes, and they will remain on display in the mall for the rest of the week.
Kokomo nonprofit organization We Care, which has organized the festival for 17 years, will auction off the trees on Sunday. The auction begins 5 p.m. at the mall. We Care will auction the trees in order, beginning at the south end of the main hallway.
The nonprofit will funnel the auction’s proceeds to its five agencies: the Kokomo Rescue Mission, the Salvation Army, Goodfellows, Bona Vista Rehabilitative Services and the Holiday Gift Lift program at the Mental Health Association of Howard County.
We Care volunteer Mariesa Skogland, who coordinated Trim-A-Tree, said last week the auction raised about $42,000 last year. Trees sell for hundreds of dollars, some for more than $1,000 apiece, she said.
Many of the trees include additions not hanging from branches.
Yet-to-be-wrapped presents are scattered around the floor of the roped-off area in the mall. Children’s toys, such as dolls, basketballs and board games, and grown-up toys, such as tools and cook books, sit under many of the trees.
Hidden among the presents are plastic buckets with slits in the lids.
The buckets are part of the People’s Choice Award, which lets passers-by vote for their favorite trees.
Anyone who wants to cast a vote for a tree must drop a penny in a bucket. The teams whose tree collects the most pennies will receive a trophy.
Skogland said the pennies will usually raise several thousand additional dollars.
• Daniel Human is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He can be reached at 765-454-8570 or at daniel.human@kokomotribune.com.
If you go
• WHAT: We Care Tree Auction
• WHEN: 5 p.m. Sunday
• WHERE: Kokomo Mall
• WHY: Proceeds go to We Care’s five agencies: the Kokomo Rescue Mission, the Salvation Army, Goodfellows, Bona Vista Rehabilitative Services and the Holiday Gift Lift program
Local News
Related Photos
Discussion
HOT SPOT: We Care Trees trimmed and ready for auction Sunday
Fundraising festival on display this week at Kokomo Mall.
- Local News
-
-
Entire U.S. 31 corridor now under contract
Every segment of the 13.1-mile, U.S. 31 Kokomo Corridor is now officially under construction.
-
Northwestern to graduate 130 seniors
Peyton Hite ended her last day in high school by going home and washing sheep.
“It’s part of living on a farm,” she said, with a laugh.
-
Drugs, cash seized, four arrested
Police from four agencies seized heroin, pills, syringes and cash, and arrested four people this week after a raid on a house on East Street, according to police reports.
-
Lafayette job fair expects Kokomo hopefuls
Organizers of a Lafayette job fair next week are reaching out to Kokomo residents looking for work.
-
Deputy prosecutor facing two charges
A Howard County deputy prosecutor will face two drunken-driving charges in connection with a traffic stop in Cicero.
-
Governor honors student
A Northwestern High School senior achieved a milestone Thursday when he became the first Indiana student ever to win both of the state’s top science awards.
-
Taylor considering staff reductions
A decline in enrollment has forced Taylor School Corp. to consider staff reductions, but the board won’t vote on the issue until next week, officials said Thursday.
-
Schools among top 20 in Indiana
Three area schools were ranked among the top 20 in Indiana this year by U.S. News and World Report.
Tri-Central Middle/High School, Eastern Junior-Senior High School and Tipton High School all made the list, which was an evaluation of 379 high schools across the state.
-
Library starts iPad rental program
Apple can’t make enough iPads to satisfy demand, but the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library now owns 15 iPad2 units.
Thursday, social media-conscious library patrons scrambled to borrow the tablet computers, on the first official day of the library’s iPad lending program.
-
Gov. names NW student 'Mr. Science' for 2012
Tyler Barnes becomes first Indiana student to be named Indiana's Top Young Scientist and Mr. Science.
- More Local News Headlines
-
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
