Every year for the last 5 years my Facebook friends and I pick an organization at Christmas time and do a fundraiser for them.
I received a letter that the John Paulding Historical Society had to cancel their largest fundraiser, Festival of Trees, this year so I asked if they minded if I ran a Festival of Wreaths virtually to raise funds. The John Paulding Historical Society runs on donations and fundraisers and due to the pandemic, many have been canceled.
The Festival of Wreaths was born. I am taking any style of wreath, (they can be flowers, candy, lottery tickets, sports and seasonal) up to November 7th. Children are welcome to donate. It will be assigned a number and the donor’s name and the name of the wreath will be displayed on the Facebook page to bid on (search Paulding Ohio Festival of Wreaths). The wreaths will be displayed locally in the window at Don and Perry’s on the Paulding Square so that all may enjoy them until November 18th, when bidding closes.
Online voting will determine first, second and third place as well as most unusual and prizes will be awarded. Prizes are also still needed, so if you would like to donate a prize please let me know.
You can sponsor a paper wreath as well, by sending any donation and telling me what you would like the wreath to read, your name, family, grandchildren, church, organization or business. You can mail a donation to me or drop off at 14787 St. Rt. 127. This is also the address for all donations of prizes or wreaths.
There will also be a large Ohio State basket up for bids, which has become a tradition at the Festival of Trees.
Cash donations can be mailed directly to the John Paulding Historical Society, P.O.Box 93, 600 Fairground Drive, Paulding, OH 45879. Any and all checks are to be made out to them as well.
The Festival of Trees is such a wonderful community event, I am hoping the community comes together to help raise funds to replace the lost revenue.
Whether you make a wreath, sponsor a paper wreath, donate a prize, bid on a wreath or the Ohio State basket or walk by Don and Perry’s and enjoy the wreaths, your support for this project to benefit the John Paulding Historical Society is greatly appreciated.
—Rhonda Bakle,
Paulding, OH
