Château Laurier’s candy-inspired Trees of Hope for CHEO finds sweet success

There’s nothing like a sugar rush to prepare for the holiday rush.

Much to the delight of sweet-toothed guests, candy was sighted everywhere at last night’s 26th annual Trees of Hope for CHEO hosted by the Fairmont Château Laurier. That’s because organizers added a candy land theme to the fundraiser, which serves as the unofficial official kickoff to the holiday season in Ottawa.

This year saw 30 local businesses and organizations sponsor and decorate Christmas trees in support of our region’s cherished children’s hospital. The festive evergreens will remain in the hotel’s public spaces throughout the holiday season. Visitors and guests are encouraged to not only check them out but to also cast a vote for their favourite tree while making a donation to CHEO.  

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Returning as top sponsor was Terlin Construction, represented by owner Terry McLaughlin and his wife, volunteer extraordinaire Catherine McLaughlin. She was on the organizing committee for the fundraiser, which is aiming to raise even more than last holiday season’s $105,000. In the lead role was Amna Abdennour, director of media, marketing and partnerships at the Fairmont Château Laurier.

Sponsors adorned their artificial conifers late yesterday afternoon, applying creativity and imagination. Once every ornament had been hung, hundreds of guests arrived for a festive tree-lighting ceremony hosted by CTV Morning Live Ottawa’s Rosey Edeh.

During the reception, attendees could bid on 75-plus silent auction items and buy raffle tickets for such prizes as a pair of Porter Airlines tickets, a tasting dinner for eight and one-night stay in the presidential suite of the Château Laurier, or a two-night stay in a luxury room at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. 

A panel of esteemed judges was tasked with the difficult job of choosing the top three trees. At stake was a free brunch for six at the hotel’s Wilfrid’s Restaurant for the winner. 

“I wouldn’t want to be a judge,” CHEO Foundation president and CEO Steve Read said of the tough competition. If he had a favourite tree, he wasn’t saying. “They’re all so nice,” he responded diplomatically.

Among the long-time judges is well-known radio personality “Stuntman” Stu Schwartz, who, in a comical nod to National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, donned a Clark Griswold Blackhawks jersey. One of the things Schwartz loves about Trees of Hope is how it always puts the crowd in a good mood, despite whatever problems are going on in the world. “There’s just a great vibe; everybody’s happy,” said Schwartz.

Judges also included his Move 100.3 morning show co-host Angie Poirier, Terry McLaughlin and Geneviève Dumas, general manager of the Fairmont Château Laurier, which today is publicly launching its festive pop-up bar, the Elf Pub.

First-time participant CPAC (Cable Public Affairs Channel) won this year. Its tree featured a gingerbread girl helping to decorate (fortunately, she’s not edible, or else she’d be in trouble).

While CPAC president and CEO Christa Dickenson was thrilled about the win, she added: “The most important thing is that all the funds are going to CHEO.”

Had there been a prize devoted to best dressed, Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association president Steve Ball would have been a contender in his nutcracker costume. Mind you, the women from telecommunications and media company Rogers were also rocking their red and white ensemble, to match their tree decor.

CHEO’s chief executive, Alex Munter,  thanked the teams for putting their “heart and soul” into decorating their trees for the fundraiser.

“What you’re doing tonight is spreading the Christmas spirit, holiday spirit all year long, because the funds that have been raised over decades here at Trees of Hope have funded clinical equipment, research, programs and expansions to our facilities,” Munter, who wore a Santa necktie, told his audience.

CHEO will be building a series of major infrastructure projects over the next eight to 10 years to keep up with the growing population of children and youth in the region. “This beautiful event is part of responding to that,” said Munter while describing the proceeds as being like “a wonderful Christmas gift” for the hospital.

The second-place team was Riverstone Retirement, followed by the Ottawa Construction Association, which was in familiar territory – it had just finished holding its holiday party at the Château Laurier over the weekend. 

This year’s theme saw trees decorated with garlands resembling candy heart necklaces, and ornaments that replicated cotton candy, sprinkled doughnuts and iced cupcakes. The theme extended to the room decor, with suspended ice-cream cones that still managed to look elegant. There was also a candy buffet, along with the usual brownies, dessert bars, tarts, cookies and cakes.

Listening to real estate agent Sara Adam from Sezlik.com explain the concept behind their tree decor makes one appreciate how much thought and effort go into the planning process. “We always think about the theme and align it with something that ties into CHEO,” said Adam of their tree, which was inspired by the Candy Land board game. It was invented in 1948 by a schoolteacher for quarantined kids who couldn’t leave the hospital’s polio ward. It requires players to race toward a castle, not unlike the Château Laurier, whose nickname is “Ottawa’s castle”.

Attendees included Deneen Perrin, who started Trees of Hope in 1998 when she was working for the hotel as its director of public relations. “It was like the little engine that could,” she recalled of working closely with then-CHEO Foundation executive Norma Lamont on the fundraiser, which raised $3,000 for the children’s hospital.

Perrin, who’s now a director at the Royal Canadian Mint, said she’s delighted to see the Trees of Hope tradition still going strong.

“I love this hotel and I love this event,” she told OBJ.social. “The fact that it’s continued and carried on is, for me, very special. They’ve done a beautiful job.”