Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 2, 1993 TAG: 9312020061
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-18 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Short
Sponsored by the Montgomery County chapter of the American Red Cross, the festival features trees decorated by nine civic, school and community groups with ornaments that are nostalgic, historic and even environmental.
Warm Hearth Village residents have decorated a tree with gold-tinted, all-natural materials, while the American Businesswomen's Association used handmade ornaments for its old-fashioned Christmas tree.
The Montgomery County Improvement Council youth volunteers have designed a tree hung with ornaments from recycled materials. The United Way of Montgomery County and Radford used red, white and blue accents to create a patriotic tree.
Other groups that have decorated the trees for the Red Cross fund-raising event include the Blacksburg Rotary Club, the Christiansburg Jaycees, the Golden Triangle Club of the Telephone Pioneers, Riner Elementary School second- and fourth-graders, and the Virginia Tech YMCA. Trees were donated by Laurel Creek Nursery.
Shoppers who stop to admire the trees lining the hallway between the mall's food court and Sears can vote on which is their favorite. A trophy and $100 prize will be awarded to the winner on Sunday, the festival's final day.
There is no formal admission charge. Donations are accepted for the Red Cross in support of its projects, such as disaster relief and blood drives.
by CNB