Pomerene Auxiliary Christmas Festival returns with 100+ decorated items, new silent auction

Christmas festivals are fun because they combine the traditions of Christmas past with sensory experiences of lights, music and Christmas spirit. When you add celebrating Christmas as a community, it always seems to brighten people’s lives.

The 16th annual Pomerene Auxiliary Christmas Festival will take place Dec. 5-6 at the Berlin Grande Hotel, and this is one event that continues to shine brightly when it comes to spreading Christmas cheer.

The event helps inspire the public to build on the Christmas spirit by offering opportunities to purchase Christmas décor that serves as a fundraiser for the auxiliary, but just as importantly, it is a time of reflection and camaraderie for the auxiliary board members and volunteers who invest their time and talent into helping the hospital throughout the year.

The lights, music, decorations and food create an atmosphere that activates nostalgia for Christmas past and makes the whole experience feel special, even if it's something you’ve done many times before.

“Seeing this all come together the way it involves all of our community truly warms my heart,” event coordinator Cindy Yoder said. “There’s something special about bringing people together, and our entire community here at Pomerene starts looking forward to this event months ahead of time because it is so heartwarming and fun.”

Yoder said this year they will present a total of 109 Christmas items including decorated trees, wreaths, centerpieces and even some furniture items. What makes it even more special is many of them are decorated and donated by area businesses and organizations.

The community continues to see the value in the Christmas Festival and the role the auxiliary plays in supporting Pomerene Hospital.

Last year auxiliary board member Emma Carpenter said it was gratifying seeing the community create each entry, and as the committee decorates the conference room at Berlin Grande, it is touching to see how the room is transformed into a Christmas winter wonderland.

Admission to the festival is $5 per person, with kids age 14 and under free. The public is invited to come experience Christmas joy and purchase the donated items. There also will be raffle prizes, and this year Yoder said they are adding something new.

“We’ve created a silent auction where people can bid for a few nice items up until we close the bidding at 1 p.m. on Saturday,” Yoder said.

One of the items on that list will be a pair of expensive hearing aids donated by Beltone Hearing Care Center.

The other important part of this event is the many business donors who have stepped up and made the event possible. Yoder said the list is lengthy, and they appreciate the support they receive from the community.

“Without the community support, this wouldn’t even be possible,” Yoder said. “We are so grateful to all of our sponsors.”

Patrons can continue to bid throughout the event and will even receive a phone number they can call to check on the bid totals to see if they need to rebid if they get outbid.

The festival will be open Friday, Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Berlin Grande Hotel is located at 4787 Township Road 366 in Berlin. For more information call Yoder at 330-763-2001.

The annual Pomerene Hospital Auxiliary Christmas Festival was designed to bring people together for the Christmas season while supporting a worthwhile cause.

Whether people visit by themselves, as a couple or with a group of friends, walking through the array of Christmas lights and décor helps put everyone in a better mood as the Christmas season draws near, and in the process it helps people feel connected to the community.