PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The St. Apollonia Dental Clinic has opted to cancel its Festival of Trees this year, just one week after announcing plans for a virtual event.
Originally, the festival committee planned to have tree sponsors set up their trees and gift items at the Presque Isle Knights of Columbus Hall over a two-day period, to allow for social distancing. They were partnering with WAGM-TV to film a one-hour special set to air in December.
Though the committee planned to coordinate ticket sales by phone, they later learned that the Maine Gaming Commission prohibits that form of ticket sales.
“The committee knew that online ticket sales were prohibited, but had received conflicting information regarding telephone sales,” Sherry Chamberland, committee chairperson for the Festival of Trees, said. “[We were] advised that all ticket sales must be a person-to-person transaction.”
Despite the low number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Aroostook County, the festival committee decided not to risk potential community exposure due to the in-person requirement for ticket sales.
Norma Desjardins, executive director of St. Apollonia, said that not holding the festival will be a major financial setback to the nonprofit dental clinic. Funds raised from the Festival of Trees over the years have gone toward costs associated with running the clinic, which aims to close the gap between what MaineCare — the state’s version of Medicaid — does not cover for children’s dental services.
Since 2014 the festival has become a popular event during the holiday season. Last year the festival, held at the Northern Maine Community College gymnasium, raised $105,000 and featured trees from more than 50 local sponsors.
“There is no other method of fundraising that matches what the festival generates,” Desjardins said.
Desjardins has begun encouraging folks to donate to the clinic by mailing checks to 122 Academy St. in Presque Isle, where the clinic is located. Committee members have already begun planning for a return of the Festival of Trees in 2021.
