(10/27/10) – Beautifully decorated Christmas trees, holiday wreaths, miniature trees, mantle pieces and centerpieces will transform the McLeod Medical Plaza into a magical winter wonderland during the 2010 Festival of Trees, a two-week long holiday event benefiting the McLeod Children’s Hospital.

The Festival of Trees is scheduled for Monday, November 8, through Saturday, November 20, 2010. During these two weeks, the public is invited to view the decorative displays in The Parade of Trees. This two-week long silent auction takes place in the McLeod Medical Plaza, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

The festivities will begin with the Jingle Bell Ball, a parent and child dance on Saturday, November 6 from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the McLeod Plaza. Parents and children alike will enjoy holiday desserts and punch, dancing amongst the beautifully decorated trees, a gift bag and keepsake photograph, and an evening of elegance. Every child will feel like a prince or princess after attending this spectacular affair. Tickets are $25 per parent/child.

On Saturday, November 20, the public is invited to attend the Holly Jolly Day at the Festival of Trees from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Activities include a chili cook-off with celebrity chef Sheriff Kenney Boone and celebrity judges Ed Palmer of Eagle 92.9, Cecil Chandler of WPDE News 15, and Florence City Councilwoman Octavia Williams-Blake. The Holly Jolly Day also includes holiday shopping, outdoor activities, food vendors, meet and greet with holiday characters, and a chance to view and bid on the holiday decorations featured in the Parade of Trees.

During the Holly Jolly Day, children can enjoy the memory of a lifetime at A Day with Santa. A Day with Santa is a fun-filled day for kids, and includes a holiday meal (either breakfast or lunch), a gift from Santa, story time with Mrs. Claus, holiday character appearances, and a photo with Santa. Breakfast is from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.; lunch is from 12:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available by reservation only. Please call (843) 777 – 2694; space is limited.

The Festival of Trees will raise funds to support many new and ongoing programs and services at McLeod Children’s Hospital. One of only four Children’s Hospitals in the state of South Carolina, McLeod Children’s Hospital provides the highest level of care available to more than 22,700 children and their families every year. Without the McLeod Children’s Hospital, its Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), children of northeastern South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina would have to travel away from the region, and their family members, to receive life-saving care. In an emergency situation, time can be the difference between life and death.

For more information or to purchase tickets for these events, please call the McLeod Health Foundation at (843) 777 – 2694 or visit www.McLeodFoundation.org.