Chad Lundquist/Nevada Appeal Phyllis Sargent, assistant administrator of Library Services for the Nevada State Library and Archives, adds the finishing touches to one of the trees included in the Festival of Trees fundraiser, which runs through Dec. 8.
For the last week, the employees of the Nevada State Library and Archives have spent every free moment putting up holiday cheer.
At the third annual Festival of Trees, cheer comes in the form of M&Ms, Harley-Davidson ornaments and driftwood.
The event, open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday through Dec. 8, is a fundraiser to support exhibits in the Joseph Anderson Gallery at the archives.
"It supports our ability to find and display public art in the gallery," said Sara Jones, administrator of the Nevada State Library and Archives.
The 2006 festival features 88 items, including trees, wreaths, jewelry, gift certificates and candles ready for the highest bidder. The items are donated from local crafters, outside agencies and businesses.
Organizers have seen the festival grow each of the last two years, including a large increase this year from the 28 items in 2005.
"We had one student whose mother donated 20 items alone and we got a lot of participation from outside agencies like the Advocates to End Domestic Violence," said Phyllis Sargent, assistant administrator of library services at the Nevada State Library and Archives. "We started looking and pulling things together earlier to see what we could get."
Sargent said there are several items that could receive a lot of attention, but thinks an early favorite is the driftwood Santa donated by Linda Fitzgerald, who serves as the executive assistant to the governor's chief of staff.
"I try to donate something every year because it supports the arts and I always seem to have something to donate," Fitzgerald said. "I do a lot of driftwood sculptures using wood from a lake in the Sierra."
Fitzgerald's Nevada Santa sculpture was the highest priced item in last year's auction.
The silent auction raised about $1,000 last year, and Sargent said with so many more items, they hope to raise several thousand this year.
"We do this to get the arts into this gallery. We don't have the money in our allocated funds, so we do this fundraiser to help out," Sargent said.
Bids for auction items will be accepted until 5 p.m. Dec. 8 and can be made in person at the gallery or online at www.nevadaculture.org.
• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.
If you go
What: Festival of Trees
When: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday through Dec. 8
Where: Joseph Anderson Gallery at the Nevada State Library and Archives, 200 N. Stewart St.
Bids: Can be made in person at the gallery or online at www.nevadaculture.org until 5 p.m. Dec. 8.