Hope for Cure tree fetches top dollar

Pam Turpin planned to decorate a live Christmas tree for her sister in honor of their mother, who passed away 12 years ago at age 50 from breast cancer.

When Turpin learned the Fry Healthcare Foundation’s needed another live tree for its Festival of Trees, she donated the tree intended for her sister. That tree fetched more money than any other item during Saturday night’s gala auction.

Wendy Hawks of Bonners Ferry was the buyer.

“It was in honor of her mother, and her mother and my mom were best friends back in the day,” Hawks said. “If you drive by at night, you can see a pink glow from my house.”

The tree - decorated with pewter angels with the breast cancer ribbon — was among 13 trees in addition to other items sold at the auction.

As of Tuesday, Fry Healthcare Foundation Events Coordinator Abby Maas, did not have a total amount the annual event t raised for Boundary Community Hospital in Bonners Ferry.

Turpin, however, commended Maas for a job well done.

“I think she did a fabulous job this year,” Turpin said.

Craig Johnson, the hospital’s chief executive and financial officer, was pleased with the $6,500 that was raised on Saturday night for a new EKG machine.

“It’s wonderful,” Johnson said. “And very necessary. It will really transition into saving lives.”

As for the tree donated by Turpin and her husband, Tom, it was decorated in honor of Vonnie Curry. She battled cancer for three years before passing.

“I had been getting stuff for this tree because I had just been thinking about my mom a lot,” Pam Turpin said. “I called my oldest daughter (Danielle) and asked her how she felt if I donated it to the festival instead of us. Her comment was “Mom, you’ll touch so many people for breast cancer if you do it for the festival.”

In addition to pewter angels, the tree included pewter cancer ribbon ornaments and ornaments of hope.