VMH Healthcare Foundation Christmas Fantasy a success


The Veterans Memorial Hospital Health Care Foundation’s 24th Annual Christmas Fantasy hosted 57 decorated full-size Christmas trees at the event November 13-16. These trees were decorated by local individuals, businesses, organizations, and classes and each had a local person or business sponsoring them as well. Local entertainers performed at each event during the course of the weekend.

The 2015 Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s Christmas Fantasy held last weekend, November 13-16 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion, was a huge success due to overwhelming community involvement.
“From the decorators, to the entertainers, to the treat makers, to the auction donors and buyers, I am once again overwhelmed by the community participation, and also the community support by the large numbers of people who attended the events,” said Mike Myers, Hospital administrator. “Our Foundation members should be proud of themselves for putting on such a spectacular community event.”
A near record number of auction items were donated to this year’s Fantasy by area businesses and individuals. The 99 auction items were displayed and auctioned on a silent auction bid to the highest bidder Monday night, November 16.
Trees on display during the 24th annual Foundation Fantasy included 57 full-size Christmas Trees. Five items were also donated to the Foundation for their use in a raffle. A free year membership to the new Waukon Wellness Center was donated by the Wellness Center Board, a beef meat bundle was donated by Fareway, a Lansing Black Hawk Bridge framed print was donated by the Foundation board, and two raffle prizes of a half hog each were donated by Welsh Organic Farm with processing donated by Jet’s Meats and Wayne and Joan Burk.
The event was planned and sponsored by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, including Lori Bahr-Stevenson, Wayne Burk, Jane Dietrich, Jackie Halverson, Kevin Hanson, Randy Hesse, Amy Hill, Gloria Krambeer, Craig Lensing, Dennis Lyons, Jody Peterson, Nona Sawyer, Sue Schlitter, Nancy Schoh, and Bill Shafer, assisted by Kim Sylvester, Pat Pettingill, Julie Thompson, and Karen Swenson.