Kids & Family
Giving Trees, Creche Return to Geneva History Center
Two Christmas luncheons are held at the history center on Thursday, Dec. 12, and Saturday, Dec. 14, to raise funds to restore the Créche.
The Sixth Annual Geneva Giving Trees and 18th Century Créche displays are now open through Jan. 3 at the Geneva History Center.
The Geneva Giving Tree display offers 14 Christmas trees decorated by non-profit organizations reflecting their mission and areas of service. The community can view the trees and vote for their favorite with their dollars at GHC and online at www.genevahistorycenter.org. The winning organization will receive 100 percent of the donations made to their tree, the remaining organizations will split their winnings with the Geneva History Center, an independent non-profit museum. The winner will be announced qt 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, at a press conference at the Geneva History Center.
The trees were decorated by volunteers from: Casa Kane County, Cub Scouts Pack 111, Cub Scouts Pack 136, Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice, Geneva Academic Foundation, Geneva Garden Club, Geneva Girl Scouts, Greater Geneva Art Guild, Hearts of Hope, Marklund, NAMI DKK, Tri-City Family Services, Where There's A Will There's A Cure, and Zellmer Childhood Disease Foundation.
The 18th Century Créche (nativity) display has been a Geneva holiday tradition since the 1930s, when it was displayed each holiday season by Kate Raftery, founder of The Little Traveler. Mrs. Raftery paired the nativity with a 17th Century French Provincial Corner bed. The Crèche and the corner bed were donated to the Geneva History Center in 1990, where they continue to dazzle visitors each Holiday season. Two Christmas luncheons are held at the history center on Thursday, Dec. 12, and Saturday, Dec. 14, to raise funds to restore the Créche.
Admission is free for both holiday displays but donations are always appreciated. The Geneva History Center is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, with special evening hours for the Christmas Walk from 5 to 9 p.m.on Friday, Dec. 6, at 113 S. Third Street, Geneva. For more information, please visit www.genevahistorycenter.org or call 630-232-4951.
SOURCE: Geneva History Center
