SPRINGFIELD – The Ronald McDonald House of Springfield is hosting their first Trees of Hope gathering at Gary Rome Hyundai in Holyoke from Nov. 5 to 19.

The Trees of Hope has been a revered staple in Connecticut for over 30 years, but this year will mark the first time the event is crossing over to Springfield’s Ronald McDonald House. Executive Director of the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Springfield and New Haven Michelle D’Amore said the event was originally set to debut in 2020 before the pandemic derailed their plans. “We weren’t comfortable with starting an event during the pandemic, so we pushed it to 2021,” said D’Amore, who ensured that proper distancing and Center for Disease Control guidelines will provide a safe environment.

The event is a charitable endeavor where patrons can purchase $1 raffle tickets to place toward a variety of holiday trees, wreaths and displays. All proceeds of the event go toward the Ronald McDonald House of Springfield’s mission to provide housing for critically ill or injured children undertaking extensive medical care, according to D’Amore.  

These aren’t your typical Yuletide offerings, as D’Amore said local community groups provide creative creations stockpiled with a variety of gift and event offerings. From a bright super-hero themed spruce to a tree decorated with gift cards from local businesses, she shared that the Ronald McDonald House encourages ingenuity from its contributors. “We look for creativity in our sponsors and community groups,” said D’Amore.

When it came to finding the perfect partner to host the event, D’Amore explained that Gary Rome expressed sincere interest in supporting the event. “Gary’s dealership really gives us the opportunity to display the trees, wreaths and everything that is coming to fruition over the coming weeks,” said D’Amore. She shared that Rome has been a supporter of the Ronald McDonald House’s mission over the years, including attending events and demonstrating “full throttle” interest in hosting the Trees of Hope.

The process of finding fitting sponsors and community groups has been similarly seamless. “We’ve been really successful. People have jumped on board in great support of the event in terms of sponsorships. The community in and around Holyoke has been very supportive,” said D’Amore. Along with encouraging the involvement of local businesses, the executive director aspires for the inaugural Trees of Hope to generate excitement and a sense of community around the area.

“In New Haven where we’ve been running this for 30 plus years, [Trees of Hope] has become a staple during the holiday season. It’s my hope we can do the same thing in and around Holyoke with Gary and his team. We want to become a staple for the community that people really look forward to and come back to,” said D’Amore.

Community groups and potential sponsors can still reach out to contribute to the event, with D’Amore suggesting interested parties to call the Ronald McDonald House of Springfield at 794-5683. Readers can also learn more about this year’s Trees of Hope at https://www.rmhc-ctma.org
/event/ronald-mcdonald-house-of-sp-inaugural-trees-of-hope.