NAMPA — A fundraiser this weekend that is as beautiful as it is useful will give homebound senior citizens peace of mind as well as a hot meal.

Those who organized this year's 18th annual Canyon County Festival of Trees are the same community members who have for years believed in the value of the Meals on Wheels program, which provides nutritious meals for the county's elderly in the Caldwell and Nampa areas.

Money raised during the glittery event goes directly to the Caldwell and Nampa Meals on Wheels programs. In fact, the festival helped make it possible for Meals on Wheels to deliver 52,000 meals last year at no or low-cost in Nampa, Caldwell, Greenleaf, Middleton and surrounding areas.

A wonderland of sparkling Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces and crafts greet visitors at the Nampa Civic Center at the festival, which kicked off Saturday. Woven throughout the festival are auctions, entertainment, food and craft workshops, sales of books and gifts and a gala dinner.

Elderly's needs increase

"I believe in the Meals on Wheels program. We started this (festival) because they were really struggling. We get some funding from the United Way but it's been touch and go for may years. But this has helped tremendously," said Louisa Cone of Caldwell, who chaired the committee that judges the colorful Christmas trees that fill the Civic Center during the event.

Last year's festival raised $36,000 for Meals on Wheels. The money was divided equally between the Nampa and Caldwell programs.

"We serve 97 meals per day in Caldwell. It's quite a need," Caldwell Meals on Wheels coordinator Paige McMichael said. "It's grown in leaps and bounds. We served over 19,000 more meals this year than the year before."

McMichael said she has seen a spike particularly in outlying areas of the county.

"Our farmers are getting older," she said. "We go from Greenleaf to Sand Hollow to Huston to Highway 55. It just seems like a lot more farmers, and the cost of living and our baby boomers are aging."

Out of all the senior citizens the Caldwell program serves, only about 30 percent of them can pay the $4 suggested donation.

"Seventy percent can't pay. We have to do fundraisers just to keep getting meals to people who are homebound," McMichael said.

Volunteers — who donate their time, gas and mileage —  play a tremendous role in the day-to-day operation of Meals on Wheels, traveling four routes each day, year-round.

"There's one place we go to in the middle of the desert, in the middle of a field. A lot of people don't have anyone to check on them. We've saved several people's lives by checking on them," McMichael said.

For more information about area Meals on Wheels programs, call McMichael at the Caldwell Senior Center at 454-8142.

Festival of Trees attractions

Here are some ways to support Meals on Wheels at the 2009 Canyon County Festival of Trees. Proceeds feed elderly, homebound citizens in need of hot, nutritious meals.

• Silent auction — Bid on one of many gift baskets and crafts donated by individuals, businesses and organizations. The silent auction is open during the festival and ends the evening of the gala dinner.  

• Books are Fun sale— A percentage of this book sale goes to Meals on Wheels. There are plenty of books for children of all ages. The book sale runs from noon to 5 p.m. today

• Refreshments — Meals on Wheels receives a percentage of sales of espresso, cookies and other refreshments.

• Gift shop — Kathy Eddlemon, owner of Christmas in the Country in Nampa, sells all sorts of holiday crafts and decorations at the festival. Meals on Wheels receives a percentage of sales.

• Christmas trees — If a tree wins a ribbon, it will be auctioned live during the gala dinner Tuesday. Any tree that didn't win a ribbon is available for pre-sale. See the trees today from noon to 5 p.m. and Monday from 11:30 am. to 2:30 p.m.

• Pictures with Santa: Pictures cost $5. Santa will be available for photos from noon to 4 p.m. today.

• Quilt raffle — The winning ticket will be drawn the night of the gala. Tickets cost $1 or six for $5. The quilt was made by Marti Dyer-Allison of Colorado Springs, Colo., who is the sister of festival board member Julia Burham.  

• Holiday entertaining classes — Tickets cost $15 and feature both a cooking demonstration and a make-and-take craft workshop. Brick 29 Bistro chef Dustan Bristol will share some food preparation tips with wine tasting from Music of the Vine, and Idaho Press-Tribune Managing Editor Vickie Holbrook will teach crafters how to make beaded bookmarks. The class is held Monday from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Gala Dinner — This festive social event is the grand finale of the entire festival and is held Tuesday with a no host bar from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. with live auction to follow. Tickets are $50 and must be purchased in advance. For details call festival chairwoman Marcie Messmer at 465-0321.

Create-a-Bear holds last workshop

Many local families make the Canyon County Festival of Trees a yearly holiday ritual, but one tradition is going away, at least for awhile.

The Create-a-Bear workshop was held for the last time Saturday. For $5, children chose a homemade bear form to stuff, sew up and decorate with lace and buttons. Bears came with music boxes in their ears and scarves. All proceeds benefit the Meals on Wheels programs.

"We've done it five years in a row now and we feel it's time for a little bit of change," said Pamela Knighten, who has been helping organize the festival for 15 years.

Knighten's cousin in northern Idaho sewed the 80 bear patterns.  

Next year, children will have a chance to decorate their own Christmas stocking or place mat in lieu of making a bear. The bear workshop may come back again for future festivals.

The workshop has been popular because many families realize the money benefits Meals on Wheels, Knighten said.

"Without the support of the Festival of Trees, there are many people who would not have food," she said.

• Look for a full list of winners online at idahopress.com and in Monday's paper.