TREE OF CARING
The Tree of Caring is a fundraiser created by the late Marcia Knee. It was created as one of many ways to raise funds to help support the cancer society and it's services. The concept is that you can make a donation of any amount and we would have a name plate and ribbon created to be placed on our tree. The original live tree used to sit on the northeast corner of the county courthouse property in Wabash Indiana. A smaller artificial tree then would travel from month to month, during the year, to local hosts (Businesses, museums, libraries, banks, and even motorcycle and car dealerships) for the public to view. As time has passed we've upgraded our display tree and made changes of how we display names (unfortunately we no longer display ribbons as they were not weathering and traveling well) but we assure you; your loved ones name plate will always appear on whatever type of medium we try to use to honor those.
We have again upgraded our presentation of how we display names. Unfortunately, the tree we were using, was just not made to endure what we wanted it to. After 3 years of serving its purpose of carrying well over 130 nameplates, at times; we chose to retire it. The once noble looking fake birch tree ended up looking more like a wheeping willow...LOL. Our new presentation is 4 foot tall by 2.5 foot wide board made of a corrugated plastic. A new graphic on the board now represents the tree and name plates are affixed to it using the latest new, reusable adhesive. Depending on how many sponsors/donations we receive each year will dictate how the nameplates are laid out and displayed on the board.(New photos to be uploaded soon!!!)
HOW IT WORKS
Nameplates can be purchased by donation of any amount above $1 by anyone. A nameplate is generally purchased in honor of someone who is currently battling cancer or who has beaten cancer; as well as one can be purchased in memory of those whom have lost their battle with cancer.
This year a donation box will be affixed to the the stand if you choose to make an anonymous donation. As well, there will be information available on the back of the board if you would like to send in a loved ones name. There will also be some new stickers attached to the board and donation box with " QR Codes" that you can scan with your cell phones camera; that will provide links to more information.
Applications are generally accepted throughout the year but new names might not make it on the tree (if purchased after late February of current year) until the following month due to time to make nameplates and the travel of tree from location to location.
Applications will be mailed out in Late December to early January to those that have previously donated and we hope to have a copy available here online on this page(to download and print out at your convenience), as well as our forms page, for the upcoming 2024 year.
Click here:
2024 Tree of Caring Application(PDF Format)
2024 Tree of Caring Application(Microsoft Word Format)
If you are interested in being a corporate or business donor please click here for more information: CORPORATE INFO LETTER
WHERE THE TREE WILL BE IN 2024(STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES)
JANUARY - IN STORAGE BEING PREPARED FOR CEREMONY FOR WORLD CANCER MONTH IN FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY - YMCA, WABASH(Ceremony 2/25/24 @2PM)
MARCH - YMCA, WABASH
APRIL - STRAUSS/PEABODY POOL, NORTH MANCHESTER
MAY - PUBLIC LIBRARY, NORTH MANCHESTER
JUNE - 1ST FINANCIAL BANK, NORTH MANCHESTER
JULY - BRANDT'S HARLEY DAVIDSON - WABASH
AUGUST - BRANDT'S HARLEY DAVIDSON, WABASH
SEPTEMBER - TBD
OCTOBER - TBD
NOVEMBER - TBD
DECEMBER - TBD
IF YOUR PLACE OF BUSINESS IS INTERESTED IN POSSIBLY HOSTING NEXT YEAR PLEASE REACH OUT TO US AT: [email protected]
WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MANY HOSTS ALL THROUGHOUT WABASH COUNTY NEXT YEAR!!!!!
2020 TREE OF CARING
2021 Tree Of Caring