GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church became the heart of the holiday spirit this weekend, hosting its first-ever Festival of Trees. The event not only celebrated the season with festive decorations but also spotlighted the meaningful contributions of local nonprofits.
The festival featured dozens of Christmas trees, each uniquely decorated by nonprofit organizations, agencies, and a few businesses. Visitors enjoyed the creativity and heart behind each design while learning about the vital work these groups do in the community.
"It’s a chance to bring people together and let them see all the wonderful trees decorated by local agencies and nonprofits," said Father Warren Leibovitz, Senior Pastor at St. Francis of the Valley.
Organizers highlighted how the event was designed to do more than spread holiday cheer. It served as a platform for nonprofits like Camp Genesis, an organization that provides outdoor experiences for children of incarcerated parents.
"Everybody in the camp is in the same situation, so it’s a safe place,” said Reyna Robbins, a parishioner at St. Francis and director of Camp Genesis. “They can talk about their families, zipline, kayak, and just have fun being a kid."
The festival also offered a friendly competition, with visitors voting for the best-decorated tree. A raffle and gift baskets added to the festivities, raising funds to support the church’s outreach and ministry programs.
For parishioner Lou Terry, who volunteered to play Mrs. Claus for the weekend, the festival’s true meaning lay in its focus on community.
"Bringing together all these organizations that serve the community,” Terry said. “That’s what Christmas is about for us."
The weekend concluded with an award for the best-decorated tree, leaving attendees with warm memories and a deeper appreciation for local nonprofits.
Looking ahead, St. Francis in the Valley will host a “Blue” Christmas Mass on Sunday, December 15th, at 3 p.m., designed to offer comfort and holiday cheer to those who’ve had a tough year.
For more information about St. Francis in the Valley, visit the church’s website.
——
Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
