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Different venues, same fundraiser for people with special needs in Tampa Bay

The pandemic means the Arc Tampa Bay's annual Festival of Trees looks different this year.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Madison Orr Hauenstein had a problem on her hands. The executive director of the Arc Tampa Bay Foundation knew her foundation’s biggest annual fundraiser was going to need tweaking. Asking thousands of people to cram into an event hall was not a great idea.

“We don’t have an option of closing down,” said Hauenstein.

The COVID-19 pandemic really made Hauenstein and everyone involved with the Arc reevaluate how to conduct “business as usual” in an unusual social setting. Large gatherings are discouraged due to COVID. That means the annual Festival of Trees at the Long Center in Clearwater was off. Safely inviting the community to come see decorated trees and purchase them as an Arc fundraiser didn’t seem like a great idea.

Enter the idea to space it out among the community.

“Everything is figure out-able,” Hauenstein said via Zoom call from Clearwater Marine Aquarium where 20 trees have been erected outside Winter the dolphin’s home. “How can we make this event special given all of the different challenges that exist in putting on an event in the world right now?”

In all, 42 trees have been set up from Tarpon Springs to Largo. Some are in restaurants. Others are in businesses. All are part of the Arc’s new wrinkle on presenting the Festival of Trees as true to the past as possible. The Festival has been an annual fundraising tradition for 36 years and raises around $150,000 each year for the Arc’s programming.

“As a service provider we don’t have an option of closing down, right? We have 300 people with intellectual and development disabilities that count on the care that we provide to them every single day,” said Hauenstein.

The Arc invites people to check out the tree map on its website and visit them in person during applicable business hours or to enjoy a gallery of the trees online. All tree and wreath sales benefit those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) served by The Arc Tampa Bay. Trees are set up by volunteers in the community each November. Each tree has its own special theme.

This year, volunteers trimmed themes using many materials including candy canes, sunglasses, Charlie Brown dolls and more. The Arc typically would house them in the Long Center and charge admission to see the displays. Not hosting them at their own facility due to COVID will mean a loss of about $20,000 in foundation support.

“The festival of trees kicks off the holidays for thousands of families in our area, and normally we have 10,000 guests come through,” said Hauenstein.

The event is usually only three days. This year, because of the change in format, it was extended from Nov. 20 until Dec. 4. Hauenstein was particularly proud of the collaboration with Clearwater Marine Aquarium, noting the similarities between their mission to help people with special needs and the aquarium’s goal of rehabilitating animals that have come under physical duress in the wild.

“Our missions are so aligned,” she said. “People are inspired by the animals that are here at the aquarium and you can draw a lot of correlations at the Arc in the same way.”

To see more on the Festival of Trees, check out their website.

The Festival of Trees 2020 presenting sponsor, AmeriLife, created three trees as the 2020 Feature Tree. Raffle ticket purchases will enter you in a drawing to win a 7-foot, 4-foot, or 3-foot tree for your home or business.

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