FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORRANCE MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER SETS STAGE
FOR SOUTHLAND’S LARGEST WINTER WONDERLAND
The magic of the holiday season will once again come to life through 36
themed, decorated Christmas trees to be displayed at Torrance Memorial
Medical Center’s 34th annual Holiday Festival. Each tree on display is available for purchase
throughout the week of the event.
Highlights of this year’s tree line-up include “A Season of
Superheroes,” decorated by the Torrance Fire Department and foster
youth; ”Christmas Knight,” decorated by the Torrance Police
Department which features nostalgic stories of knighthood and “Cirque
de Noel,” which brings to life vintage style collage animals and
circus characters on parade.
A tree titled “A Beary Merry Christmas” will feature toys donated
by Marge Schugt and family. Schugt’s husband John Schugt, MD, dedicated
his life to being an Emergency Department physician at Torrance Memorial
until his passing last year. After Holiday Festival, the tree will be
displayed in the Torrance Memorial Emergency Department where visiting
children will have the opportunity to take home teddy bears and Golden
Books from the tree.
The festival runs Tuesday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, Dec. 3 (closed to public
on Dec. 1 for Gala), in a 30,000-square-foot white tent located on Torrance
Memorial’s campus, filled with exquisite sights including custom-decorated
holiday trees, the sweet aroma of savory treats and the sound of music
and dancing.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the renovation of Torrance Memorial’s
North Patient Tower dedicated to mother/baby postpartum, neonatal and
pediatric care. Attendance to any of the public exhibit hours contributes
to the event's fundraising goals. Admission to the Holiday Festival's
public hours is $5. Children age 5 and under are free.
“Each year our community volunteers top themselves with the artistry
that goes into making each themed tree something special to behold,”
said Laura Schenasi, executive vice president, Torrance Memorial Foundation.
“There is no better way to kick-off the holiday season than to enter
the magical wonderland underneath the big white tent.”
Throughout the year, more than 10,000 volunteer hours are spent preparing
for the festival, which includes creation of nearly 4,000 ornaments, wreaths
and centerpieces – all by hand – to be sold at the event’s
Holiday Boutique—the largest in the South Bay. A special Children’s
Marketplace features one-of-a-kind stocking stuffer items for under $5.
There are sweet and savory treats to enjoy from a food court, including
baked goods and cookie decorating from Torrance Bakery, music and dancing
by local groups, and activities for children and families such as fishing,
a lollipop toss, writing letters to Santa, and more. To give weary holiday
shoppers a break, this year, Torrance Memorial’s HealthLinks will
offer free chair massage during Holiday Festival public hours. Wine will
also be offered for purchase for those 21 and over after 5 p.m.
A
Festival Fashion Show will kick off the festivities on
Tuesday, Nov. 28, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., featuring the sophisticated and timeless Lourdes Chavez Collection, as
well as rare and original fur fashions designed by Edwards-Lowell Furs,
Beverly Hills. Tickets to the Fashion Show are $125 per person. A
Festival Night Dinner Gala, including a silent and live auction, follows on
Friday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m. Gala tickets can be purchased for $300 per person/$550 per couple. Anyone
can bid for online auction items November 14 – 21 by visiting
www.biddingforgood.com/holidayfestival.
The hospital invites
seniors and those with special needs to view the trees in a relaxed environment
free of charge, from
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, and Thursday, Nov. 30. During those hours a Senior Marketplace will offer stocking stuffers
for under $5.
Non-profit and community service group members are invited to the festival at a special admission price of $2 in honor
of their service on
Thursday, Nov. 29, from 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. On this day, community service group members are asked to show their pride
and wear apparel that represents their organization.
On
Saturday, Dec 2, the Torrance Fire and Police Department will be collecting unwrapped
new toys at the tent for the Toys for Tots Drive. Anyone bringing a toy
will be given free admission between
2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Fire trucks and police vehicles will also be on hand for kids to climb
on and sit inside.
The community is invited to have
Lunch with Santa
on
Sunday, Dec. 3,
from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., where they can enjoy face painting, crafts, elves and photos with Santa
(bring your own camera) and will receive admission to the Holiday Festival
tent. Admission is $15 and a reservation is required.
An
Opportunity Drawing will take place
Sunday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m., in the Holiday Festival tent for the chance to win $500 cash, a decorated
7 ½-foot tree with collectible Mark Roberts Elves ($2,500 value) or a
2017 Lexus RX450h (estimated value is $53,035) donated by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. Tickets will be sold one for
$50, three for $100 or five for $150. Presence is not required to redeem prizes.
For information about the Holiday Festival, to make a reservation to attend
any of the events or for Opportunity Drawing tickets, call the Torrance
Memorial Foundation at
310-517-4703. For recorded general event information, call
310-517-4606 or visit
www.TorranceMemorial.org/holidayfestival.
About Torrance Memorial Medical Center
Founded in 1925 by Jared Sidney and Helena Childs Torrance, Torrance Memorial
Medical Center is a 470-bed, nonprofit medical center established to provide
quality healthcare services predominantly to the residents of the South
Bay, Peninsula and Harbor communities. Torrance Memorial seeks to offer
the most current and effective medical technologies rendered in a compassionate,
caring manner. In 2012, it joined the ranks of the top hospitals in the
nation by earning coveted Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses
Credentialing Center, which recognizes nursing excellence. Torrance Memorial
also has been ranked as one of the best hospitals for 2017-18 in California
and the Los Angeles metro area for the sixth year straight by
U.S. News & World Report. For more information, please visit:
www.TorranceMemorial.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Colleen Farrell, Manager, Public Relations
Phone:
310-517-4706
Email:
colleen.farrell@tmmc.com