Carnegie Museum debuts Christmas tree fundraiser

FAIRFIELD — The Carnegie Historical Museum embarked on a new and festive fundraiser this year that organizers hope to repeat on an annual basis.

The museum debuted the “Carnegie Holiday Corner” in late November by installing 25 Christmas trees on the lawn outside the museum. Residents could sponsor a tree in honor of a loved one, either living or deceased, and decorate the tree how they saw fit. The museum put lights on all the trees, and turned on the lights the day after Thanksgiving to coincide with the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Lighting Ceremony on the square.

Dave Neff, a member of the Carnegie Museum Board who helped spearhead the project, said the fundraiser generated an income of $5,000 with expenses of around $2,400. He said the board will discuss how to use the remaining funds, perhaps to enhancing the program next year, since this year was such a success that the board wants to do it again.

The museum purchased the trees from Atwood’s Christmas Trees south of Packwood, and had to purchase drop cords and lights for all of them. Garrison Construction donated the stakes to hold the trees in the ground.

Neff said he got the idea to do a “holiday corner” of Christmas trees after he and his wife, Sheri Blough Neff, grabbed a bite to eat in Ottumwa last Christmas season. They visited a park where there were 100-plus Christmas trees.

Neff investigated and discovered it was a fundraiser for Ottumwa’s chamber of commerce. He talked to the chamber’s executive director, and learned the city of Washington was doing something similar. Neff brought the idea back to the museum board, which loved it.

The sponsors who purchased the trees did so to honor a variety of people. Some honored loved ones who had passed away, while one person honored his parents, and another purchased a tree to honor Mark and Susan Shafer for what they’ve done for the museum.

When the board contacted Atwood’s Christmas Trees, the owners said they would be more likely to get smaller trees, which is what the board wanted anyway. Neff said a group of board members and volunteers dubbed “Team Carnegie” put up the trees outside the museum. The group included Neff, Sheri Blough Neff, Joe Hunt, Kathy Tollenaere and Therese Cummiskey.

“We put one string of lights on the trees and a bow on top,” Neff said.

The board found sponsors for 24 of the 25 trees, and put them up before Thanksgiving so the lights could be turned on during the Holiday Lighting Ceremony. Sponsors then added their own lights and personal decorations.

For instance, Mary Stever Terrill wanted to honor the memory of all the members of the Stever family from grandparents to cousins. Tollenaere made a laminated tag for each tree showing the name of the sponsor and the people it honors.

“We felt very good about this project,” Neff said. “People saw it and wanted to be part of it. For its first year coming out of the blocks, we feel it was a success.”

Residents have just a few days left to see the trees before this weekend, when the board has asked sponsors to remove their decorations and pictures. The trees will be hauled away when city crews start picking up Christmas trees all over town on Monday, Jan. 10.

The trees outside the museum not only beautify that corner of the block, but they also bring people into the museum.

Neff said the board has seen an uptick in people visiting the museum since it reopened after remodeling and enhancing various exhibits. When it held an open house in November, more than 200 people attended.

Neff said the board has set a goal to be open 20 hours per week in 2022. If they can maintain that number of hours, the museum could be eligible for statewide tourism publicity.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com