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Finning tree sells for record $100,000 at festival auction

A tree donated by Finning Canada bulldozed the record for highest sale price at the Festival of Trees gala auction on Friday.
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A tree donated by Finning Canada bulldozed the record for highest sale price at the Festival of Trees gala auction on Friday.

The tree, titled We Cover a Lot of Ground, sold for $100,000 -nearly doubling the $52,500 paid by Janet Holder for Bea's Tree at the 2012 auction. The Festival of Trees, which runs until Sunday, is the 20th anniversary of the holiday fundraiser which benefits the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation.

"The generosity of our valued donors and sponsors tonight was truly overwhelming" Spirit of the North CEO Judy Neiser said in a written statement. "It is fantastic to see so much energy in support of healthcare in this region. We are truly humbled by such incredible support..."

A total of 325 people attended the auction, which raised $425,195 for the Spirit of the North - including $120,300 toward a SPECT CT Scanner for the University Hospital of Northern B.C.

The winner of Finning's tree will take home the tree itself, as well as a CAT 226B3 skid steer loader; trips to watch a Canucks game in Vancouver and the Blue Jays in Toronto from corporate suites, with return airfare; a three-day trip to watch the Daytona 500 NASCAR race; a one-week golf resort getaway to Florida; and other skiing and golf prizes.

The Hero's Tree, sponsored by Brandt Tractor and Omenica Fabricating, sold for $75,000. The tree included a 825 John Deere Gator tracked ATV, equipped with a custom-made search and rescue/medical transportation unit made by Omenica Fabricating.

"It is our plea that the winning bidder of this Hero Tree will donate the use of this unit back into the community we all live in to help save a life one day," the sponsors wrote in an information package accompanying the tree.

A tree donated by Art Knapp Plantland and Dunkley Lumber sold for $25,000 and included a Polaris ATV, $5,000 travel voucher and $4,000 Fairmont Hotels package.

Bea's Tree, an aluminum tree purchased by 105-year-old resident Bea Dezell from Perry's Pharmacy in Prince George in 1953, was auctioned for $8,000.

The tree has been part of the Festival of Trees every years since 2004 and has raised over $130,000 for the Spirit of the North. The winning bidder gets to keep it only through the holiday season and then has to return it for next year's live auction.

Trees donated by the Prince George Airport Authority and Tropical Pool and Spa each sold for $7,000; a tree donated by Tim Hortons sold for $5,500; and trees donated by Waste Management and Hubbell Designer Goldsmiths and Dan Marcotte Law each sold for $5,000.

Numerous other items were auctioned at the gala - including a two-week trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands which sold for $15,500 -and the silent auction continued until Sunday.

"Our donors are amazing people with gracious hearts and they can never be thanked enough," Northern Health business director Finlay Sinclair said in a written statement. "Spirit of the North is a true partner of Northern Health and we are grateful for all they do."

A final fundraising total was not available as of press time.