LYNN — For many in the city, the Lynn Vocational Technical Alumni Association’s annual Festival of Trees marks the beginning of their holiday season.
This past week, the school’s annex building played host to the festival.
“A lot of people have told us that this is the start to their holiday season,” Association Vice President Kelly Papageorgiou said. “To be part of somebody’s family tradition is just overwhelming, and we’re all so proud.”
The main floor of the building is filled with about 100 decorated Christmas trees, wreaths, and gift baskets.
Papageorgiou said that trees are donated by businesses, organizations, and families.
“We could not do this without the community, because they’re the ones that come in,” she said. “Local businesses, some businesses outside the city, other schools, the mayor’s office, the Lynn Teachers Union, Lynn Housing have all taken part. There are new donors every year, but there are some donors who have participated for the past nine years.”
In addition to just admiring the decorations, visitors have the opportunity to take a tree home.
Visitors purchase raffle tickets and drop them in a slot by their favorite tree or other decorations. A winning ticket for each item will be drawn Saturday night, and the winners will pick up their prizes on Sunday.
All of the money raised from the raffle and admission goes toward providing scholarships for students at the school.
“All of the money goes back to the students, which was very important to us,” Papageorgiou said. “We have been able to create at least four new scholarships because of this.”
She said that the event raises more than $25,000 each year.
With the money, the association has been able to increase the scholarship amounts, as well as provide tools for some students in non-traditional shop programs who were not getting tools at graduation.
A culinary graduate, for example, will be selected to receive a 40-piece knife set, while a web-programming student will be selected to receive a laptop.
“The shop teachers choose who gets the scholarships,” Papageorgiou said.
Papageorgiou said that the festival started nine years ago, when some members of the association came up with the idea as a fundraiser.
“Some people were a little hesitant, but a couple of us said ‘Let’s run this, let’s do it,’” she said. “The community really came together to donate the trees and items for us to raffle off. It has been amazing every single year.”
She said she has seen the event help bring the community together.
“One of the things we didn’t realize would happen was that the community of Lynn meeting people they grew up with, and now they’re introducing their children and grandchildren to the person they grew up with,” Papageorgiou said. “It’s been so heartwarming having everyone come together.”
Saturday is the final day of the festival. People can visit the Lynn Tech Annex Building at 90 Commercial St. from noon until 6 p.m.
