Though fewer of the Bethesda Foundation’s little red trees are adorning Steinbach’s streetlights than normal, Executive Director Linda Peters says this does not signify a shortage of sponsorships in their annual "Gifts of Light" campaign.

For those who are unaware, Peters explains that the Gifts of Light campaign sells these red trees to sponsors for $100 apiece; money that goes directly towards health care projects in the area. However, this year, rather than putting the small ornaments up all at once, Peters says they have decided to do it more gradually.

Small, red trees are hanging from streetlights along Main Street and Highway 12

“Once a week we put in an order to get signs made," notes Peters, "Each week 20-50 new signs will go up and we will keep putting more up as long as people want to sponsor them.”

Peters suggests that this lengthier process could potentially encourage more people to provide their sponsorship.

In addition to these smaller tree decorations, Peters says many people have expressed a desire to sponsor the real spruce trees in the new Bethesda Healing Gardens. “We had a lot of people throughout the summer comment on how beautiful the healing garden area looked,” comments Peters, “so I think there is a bit of added excitement this year.”

Peters indicates that she even got some special guests helping with this season’s decorating: “We asked three players from the Pistons [hockey team] to help us and they are setting up some trees inside the hospital as well as adding lights to the trees and pergolas outside in the healing garden.”

Peters anticipates this year’s fundraiser will either meet or exceed their goal of $54,000. She also encourages people to attend the Gifts of Light tree lighting ceremony that will take place in the healing gardens on December 2.

Three of the Steinbach Pistons helped Linda Peters set up Christmas trees inside of the hospital on Tuesday