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OGDEN — Nearly a hundred Christmas trees filled the Eccles Center in Ogden for the annual Christmas Tree Jubilee Nov. 25-29 to continue the longtime tradition that benefits the Weber School foundation and brings members of the community together.
One of the Christmas trees was produced by Nan Collins, whose 15-year-old son, Kit, was killed when he was hit by a car as he was skateboarding.
"Since he's passed away, it's been amazing to me how many people...have come to the woodwork to honor Kit that I didn't know he knew," Collins said.
At the time of his death Kit Collins had some money in a bank account. Nan Collins decided the best way to use that money would be to help somebody else in need.
Typically this event raises a quarter of a million dollars. So this community loves this event. It really is the premier kickoff event for Christmas in Ogden.
–Kara Liston, Christmas Tree Jubilee chairwoman.
"I decided to use that money and put a tree to donate to the festival," Collins said.
So Collins began designing a tree in honor of her son for the Christmas Tree Jubilee.
"The Christmas trees that we get here in Ogden are all a labor of love," said Kara Liston, Christmas Tree Jubilee chairwoman.
And the tree Collins designed is no different. It features many of Kit's favorite things from skateboarding and biking to his favorite color red.
"We have some letters, they're not here yet, they're like done but they sit and spell out ‘YOLO', that was his favorite saying, ‘you only live once,'" Collins said.
All of the items and trees were sold during a gala that took place on the night of Nov. 26.
"Typically this event raises a quarter of a million dollars," Liston said. "So this community loves this event. It really is the premier kickoff event for Christmas in Ogden."
All of the money raised from the event is used in a variety of ways to help the children of the Weber School District.
"Through classroom grants, teacher help, specialized equipment," Liston said.
And the list goes on. But the event does one special thing for Collins.
"That's what this means to me is that...to do what he probably would want to do because he was always...always doing nice things for people," Collins said.
