Contact: Amanda Shepherd702-454-4838555-5555

amanda@alssisters.com shephe44@unlv.nevada.edu

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

LAS VEGAS -- Her curls have straightened out, her lipstick has dulled and she has

kicked off her high-heel shoes under the table and propped her tired feet on a chair as she sits

back in the quiet ballroom of the Four Seasons to recount the crazy year she has just had.

Deann Cline is the director of fund development for the Down Syndrome Organization of

Southern Nevada and has just finished leading the 23rd annual Festival of Trees and Lights. A

lot goes in to planning DSOSN’s largest money making event of the year and Cline was at the

front end of it all.

“It takes an entire year to plan this one day’s event,” Cline said.

Initial meetings began in January to decide the theme for the event as well as the venue.

This year, the event was held at the Four Seasons, moving it from the Paris hotel, where it has

been held for the last few years.

The meeting also decides who will be chair for the different categories, including trees,

baskets, wreaths, menorahs, gingerbreads, gala and sponsors. These people then work only with

their specific categories the rest of the year. Publicity, advertisement and title sponsors are also

decided at this meeting. This year’s title sponsor was Fidelity Investments.

According the Cline, the most important thing decided at this initial meeting is who to

honor at the festival. There are three categories of honorees. The inspirational award is given to

one of the families within the organization. The community care award is given to someone in

the health care industry; a person who has contributed in some part to the organization. The

community impact award is given to the person or family who has made a long time contribution

to the organization. This year, the inspirational award went to Johannah Back and her family,

honoring their time and dedication to the DSOSN. The community care award was given to Dr.

Kochy Tang for her donated time to the organization and the community impact award was

given to Art, Shirley and Sheri Goldstrom for their dedication to the DSOSN for over 15 years.

“The Goldstroms have been around longer than I have with this organization,” Cline said.

She explained how much she appreciates all of their help any time she needs it and their constant

donations.

“They must have purchased over 40 trees in the past 23 years of this festival,” Cline

laughed.

After the initial meeting, a couple more meetings are held until July. From July on, the

committee meets every other week to bring everything together. In August, “save the date” cards

are sent out. Invitations are sent out 6 weeks prior to the event.

The chairs for the various decorations send out requests and ask friends, family members,

sponsors and donors if they would like to donate their time, money, or resources in to creating

beautiful trees, wreaths or baskets. Wreaths and baskets this year ranged in price from $50-$500

per item.

The week of the event offers no rest for Cline and her fellow committee members. They

all scramble to make sure all the donated decorated items are in place. The day before the event,

Cline spent almost half the day setting up the tree displays in the ballroom.

“We had to take each tree up and down the elevator,” said Cline. “It took forever.”

On the day of the event, hundreds of people, including members of the DSOSN,

sponsors, committee members, friends and family all gathered together in their best dresses and

tuxedos for this fancy night out. Dozens of wonderfully designed and decorated Christmas trees

filled the ballroom. Some of the themes this year were a London designed tree and a baby tree

filled with everything needed for newborn babies. It was impossible to miss the 10-foot white,

sparkly, wonderfully lit Christmas tree featuring over 20 different bottles of vodka when you

first walked in to the ballroom.

In the room right next to the ballroom, donated wreaths that compliment the trees, as well

as other various designs, were also displayed. Child members of DSOSN created pottery and

artwork that was available for auction as well.

A silent auction of all these items took up the first two hours of the event. Once that was

complete, all the guests gathered in the dining room for a three-course meal designed by the Four

Seasons. They were led by the Desert Skype Pipes and Drums to the dining room. During dinner,

the live auction of four special Christmas trees was held by emcee Richard Rehm, who donated

his time to assist in this event. A few other smaller trees are also auctioned off after the main

event.

The event came to a close after the live auction and dessert were finished. Friends,

families, supporters and sponsors all gathered around to mingled for a few moments and picked

up items purchased at the silent auction.

An entire year’s planning is finally complete, and Cline could not be happier. All of her

hard work has paid off and the year, as far as she is concerned, is finally over. She takes a minute

to breathe, something she has not truly been able to do all year.

“I’m definitely glad it’s all over,” Cline said. “This event eats my lunch.”

The event this year brought in roughly $115,000 total for the DSOSN.

“I’m being conservative with that number,” said Cline. “I’m still waiting on money to

come in and it will be a while until we know exactly how much was raised.”

Cline only has about two months of rest before planning for the 24th annual Festival of

Trees and Lights begins. She is also keeping the 25th annual festival in the back of her mind

during this time.

“This year, we are going to plan both the 24th and the 25th at the same time,” said Cline.

“The 25th is a huge year and I’m hoping to get at least 50 trees donated for this event.”

For now, Cline will enjoy the rest of her year as she heads in to her sixth year as director

of fund development. Cline says she had a wonderful year and cannot wait to see what the next

year has in store for her.