The Geneva History Center hosted the fifth annual Geneva Giving Tree display throughout the holidays showcasing fifteen Christmas trees decorated by local non-profit organizations.  The display was visited by over 2,000 people and has become a community holiday tradition along with our 18th Century Neapolitan Créche.

Visitors voted with their dollars here at GHC and on our website.  The winning tree receives all of their vote dollars for their organization, the others split their vote dollars with GHC.  We were also pleased to partner once again with the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission who judged the trees on artistic qualities and awarded additional cash prizes of $75 for first place and $25 for second place.

Winners were announced Friday, December 28 in the Bencini Room of GHC - a fitting location since the Giving Tree display was the original idea of former GHC Board Member and volunteer, Mary Bencini.

The top voted tree by the community was Finally Home Holistic Recovery and Adoption with the largest earnings ever of $1,630!  They received lots of votes on PayPal from their supporters and visitors couldn't resist the sad puppy dog faces that decorated the tree.

The winners of the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission awards were: Greater Geneva Art Guild with first place; and two trees were so close they gave Geneva Girl Scouts and Finally Home Holistic Recovery and Adoption second place prizes.

The fifteen trees were decorated by: American Cancer Society, Ecker Center for Mental Health, Finally Home Holistic Recovery and Adoption, Fox Valley Troop Support, Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice, Geneva Academic Foundation, Geneva Kiwanis Club, Geneva Park District, Geneva Girl Scouts, Greater Geneva Art Guild, Marklund, Mothers Club of Geneva, National Alliance on Mental Illness DeKalb, Kane-south & Kendall Counties, Inc., Tri-City Family Services and VNA Health Care.

Special thanks to all of the organizations that dedicated their time and talents to decorate a tree.  The display not only provides a fundraising opportunity but it gives these organizations a chance to showcase what they offer the community.

Replacing the Giving Tree display February 9 thru November 2 will be "Start With A Sketch" an exhibition highlighting the rich culture of illustration through the talented cartoonists, illustrators and voice actors of our community.