2025 Holiday Tree Display & Auction
‘Deck the Halls’ and help us raise money for the Tom Jones Tuition Assistance Fund.
Join us for this special holiday tradition at the Carrollwood Cultural Center and help us raise money for families who might need a little extra boost to send their child(ren) to summer camp next year.
Like most cherished holiday activities, this tradition began several years ago with the help of community members Shirley Overton and Denise Deneen, who introduced us to their creation, The Holiday Tree Project, to assist the Center in raising money. The idea is simple: collect a few artificial Christmas trees and decorate them with a unique theme to be auctioned off during a silent auction. During the weeks of the silent auction, the lobby will be beautifully decorated, serving as a unique exhibit for the community to enjoy. Then, in mid-December, the auction winners will take home their tree, all the decorations, and any goodies under the tree to enjoy, gift, or donate to a worthy organization. Moreover, the auction helps us raise approximately 25% of our total fundraising goal, which enables us to provide tuition assistance to qualified camp families.
Below are ways the community members, companies, and other organizations can help with this year’s Holiday Tree Display & Auction. Thank you for your consideration!
Contact
To get started, contact Executive Director Paul Berg at [email protected], or call (813) 922-8167.
Please contact us early. The earlier you join us, the more time we have to tell the community!
Sponsor a Tree
(Team Building Opportunity)
Create a teambuilding opportunity for your group, business, or organization by sponsoring a tree.
How it Works:
- Contact the Center at [email protected] with the name of your organization, tree theme, and whether or not you need a tree to decorate (you can donate your own, but if you don’t have one, we can provide you with one).
- Collect ornaments, gifts, and unique items that support your theme to decorate your tree. Items can be new or almost-new. (Please do not plan to decorate your tree with your company’s promotional materials.)
- Make plans to come and decorate the week of October 27-31, 2025. Please let us know when you’d like to decorate, so we can be prepared for your visit.
As a thank you, your company will receive the following:
- Recognition on the Center’s website and silent auction platform, where the Holiday Tree Display & Auction are mentioned
- A mention in at least two weekly e-blasts to more than 11,000 unique subscribers and a mention in at least two social media posts regarding the Holiday Tree Display & Auction.
- Signage will be placed near your tree with your company/group’s logo/name.
- An opportunity to display one sign (yard sign or banner) at the front of the building during the auction.
- Two (2) tickets to each of the following concerts: Carrollwood Winds on November 2 at 3 p.m., New Horizons Band on December 7 at 2 p.m., Tampa Metropolitan Improv on December 12 at 7 p.m.
Sponsor a Tree
(Monetary Donation)
Make a monetary donation to help fund the purchase of a tree, decorations, and goodies.
How it Works:
- Contact the Center at [email protected] to make a donation and provide the name of your organization.
- The staff will take your generous contribution and purchase a tree and decorations, and will decorate a tree on your behalf.
As a thank you, your company will receive the following:
- Recognition on the Center’s website and silent auction platform, where the Holiday Tree Display & Auction are mentioned
- A mention in at least two weekly e-blasts to more than 11,000 unique subscribers and a mention in at least two social media posts regarding the Holiday Tree Display & Auction.
- Signage will be placed near your tree with your company/group’s logo/name.
- Two (2) tickets to each of the following concerts: Carrollwood Winds on November 2 at 3 p.m., New Horizons Band on December 7 at 2 p.m., Tampa Metropolitan Improv on December 12 at 7 p.m.
Donate Specific Items
We have several tree-themed ideas in mind, but we can bring them to life with donations. View the video below for items on our shopping list.
How it Works:
Please drop off items at the Center during business hours before October 24. Once items are donated, the Center will determine how the items will be utilized, as some may be stored for future use or not used at all. Please only donate items related to what is on our list, as we do not have storage space to accept anything beyond what is listed. A donation receipt may be provided upon request.
If you have a unique collection of something that is not on the list, please contact [email protected], as your collection may be used as a separate tree theme either this year or next.
