Donations help colorful holiday forest grow in Buhl Park
Dec. 7—HERMITAGE — Buhl Park upped its brightness this holiday season.
As a fundraiser, 36 simulated lighted Christmas trees were erected near the park's Lake Julia — triple the number from last year, said Sandy Gurgovits, a retired real estate broker and park board member.
"It really took off this year," Gurgovits said.
The program, initiated last year, allows individuals and organizations to donate $1,500 and have a lighted tree named in their honor. The one-time donation allows their tree to be lighted annually. The park pays around $1,200 for each tree along with some extra costs like electricity and other materials.
"We could have had more trees this year as more people found out about the fundraiser but it just got to be too late," Gurgovits said.
Along with a dinner held last Friday at the park's Casino, the two fundraisers will generate up to $60,000.
That's a lot of money, Gurgovits acknowledged. But it's only one piece of the $750,000 that has to be raised annually for park operations.
If the project continues to grow the display could become a magnet for visitors outside the area, somewhat like Oglebay Park in West Virginia, she said.
"We're extremely fortunate to have community support for the park that's open all year," Gurgovits said.
The display is open nightly until 9 p.m. and is expected to run through Jan. 15.
