The organization started with seed money from an Episcopal diocese.

TORRINGTON, Wyo. — Gracie’s Promise, the organization that gives financial assistance to families with children battling catastrophic medical circumstances, has some unique features for its 10th anniversary of its Festival of Trees.

First, the festival will have a Thomas Kinkade collectible music tree that was donated. Also, Carrie Adkins from Conyers., Ga., a suburb of Atlanta, donated quilted pillows.

“(Kinkade) is a very collected artist,” Gracie’s Promise President Mary Houser said. “For those who collect art, he’s very well-known. So having that tree is a biggie.”

Adkins learned about Gracie’s Promise from Houser’s daughter, Mary H. Herbert. Herbert and Adkins work at a school in Conyers.

“We’re well-represented in another state,” Houser said.

(The Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming)

Also, Herbert revived 41-year-old artwork that Houser saved for the art for the cards announcing the festival. Houser asked Herbert to finish the artwork.

“So 41 years later, it surfaces. … I just happened to have a lot of family memorabilia and I am trying to cut down,” Houser said.

So when Herbert visited Houser in October, Houser put her to work.

“I handed (Herbert) ink pens and said, ‘color this; let’s make this work for the poster,’” Houser said.

Herbert finishing the artwork involved her filling in calligraphy ink with colors and also adding drawings of mice on the back of the card, which has little animals and “Merry Christmas” on the front.

“I was surprised,” Herbert said about being asked to complete the art. “This was something I had just done in ’78. … I am still surprised and very pleased that she liked it enough to want to use it.”

“The fact that (the drawings) surpassed 41 years and multiple moves just impressed me,” Herbert added. “It says something about my mother, too.”

Herbert had to go to an office supply store and get watercolor pencils to add the color. She credited staff at the store for the border on the back of the card.

“They did a really nice job,” Herbert said.

Further, Arizona resident Miriam Schmer always sends Gracie’s Promise something, be it a tree skirt or something else.

“She and her husband Harvey used to live in this area,” Houser said.

Gracie’s Promise has added decorations to its festival.

So it’s trees and decorations,” Houser said. “It’s one of the main fundraisers for Gracie’s Promise.”

“Oftentimes, people need another tree like a hole in the head, but they like to see them, and also, trees have added a whole other dimension to this and they are all available through silent auction,” Houser said.

The organization holds the event at the community room of Platte Valley Bank in Torrington, Wyo.

“It’s quite a sight when that room is all full,” Houser said.

The festival will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 6 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 7. All proceeds will go to the families in need.

Gracie’s Promise

Gracie’s Promise’s Bud Watson and Mary Houser alongside a wreath and tiny Christmas tree. (MARK GASCHLER/Star-Herald)

The main person for Gracie’s Promise is Bud Watson, the great-granddaughter of Gracie, who had leukemia.

“It’s in remission now and it was Bud that actually started this via seed money from the Episcopal Church and it’s just grown from there,” Houser said. “He is still very much on the board and we definitely make sure that he is happy with any decisions that we make.”

Houser offered a testament as to Watson’s value. Houser wasn’t sure if Watson was a board member or vice president.

“Obviously, when I don’t even know what his position is, I guess I do need him!” Houser said.

Houser has been involved with Gracie’s Promise for each of its 10 years of existence. She learned about Watson’s work as a fellow congregant in his Episcopalian congregation.

“I was at the ground level,” Houser explained. “I heard about this problem with his great-granddaughter and we started just talking about what we could do and it came up, this idea of using his artwork because he is quite the artist, to use his artwork on cards and give them out as donations.”

That’s when Watson and Houser got the seed money and printed cards.

“It all has grown from there,” Houser said.

It’s taken great work.

“It’s taken a lot of telling everyone that we exist; going to craft shows and crazy days,” said out of an event where information was shared. “Just any place where we can set up a table, put out the cards and brochures and let (people) know that we exist.”

Watson is at these functions.

“I personally can’t even imagine it would have grown so much if it hadn’t been for all he’s done,” Houser said.

The festival began with the local Kiwanis Club before the group folded eight years ago and Gracie’s Promise took over.

Families seeking help are literally brought to their knees. Usually, Gracie’s Promise helps them for at least six months, but it’s usually a year or two.

“Sometimes longer than that if there is a lot of chemo that’s necessary,” Houser said.

The money can be used however they want, “even if it’s to go out for a movie and get a babysitter and have a break from what they are going through; that’s not up to us,” Houser said.

When someone applies for help, they go to graciespromise.org and fill out an application. A doctor’s report is required, along with a sponsor who does not live under the same roof.

“It could be relative from outside the house,” Houser said.

The sponsor is the contact with Gracie’s promise to report on the child’s condition, Houser said.

The organization meets once per month to review applications and upcoming payments that need to be made to families.

“If we are asked from families who are in other states, we don’t turn them down,” Houser said.

Gracie’s Promise has helped 84 families in just 10 years.

Of Houser doing Gracie’s Promise, Herbert said “I think my mother is amazing; absolutely amazing.”

“She really firmly believes in it,” Herbert added. “She works so hard for that organization. I am very proud of her.”

The Festival of Trees

Houser gets weary of a certain holiday season when working on the festival.

“I don’t want to see, hear or eat anything having to do with Christmas,” Houser said.

But that changes.

“In no time at all, I am thinking about something to improve it the next year,” Houser said. “I feel it has practically become part of my DNA. … It’s a very festive, happy time.”

The festival, which features coffee and cookies, is one of three major fundraisers per year that Gracie’s Promise does.

“Because we had already sort of started with the Kiwanis Club, it just seemed natural to take over,” Houser said. “It has been growing ever since. It’s quite a sight once (the trees) are all up. And the community is very, very supportive.”

Houser is grateful for that.

“Very much so,” Houser said.

Houser complimented Platte Valley Bank for its role in the festival.

“They are willing to do almost anything for us to make it as easy as possible to use the community room and everything we need,” Houser said. “And they always contribute a tree.”

The festival usually sees trees and decorations numbering in the 40s, with 20 to 25 trees.

“It becomes really a lot because I’m never sure what’s going to come in,” Houser explained. “Somebody might say I’ll bring one (tree) and they bring three. Someone says a small tree and it ends up being six feet. So until we set up on the 5th (of December), we have no idea about how many will be there.”

The festival faces a challenge every year when some of the bigger trees that are decorated must be delivered.

“I always call Julie Newman and she always agrees to have someone take the horse trailer and (get the trees that are always too big,” Houser said. “It’s a true gift.”

“I am so grateful that we can continue to do this and continue to help families,” Houser said of it being the 10th anniversary of the festival.