The Aberdeen Easter Miracle Tree has expanded to two trees this year with 5200 eggs on display. (Angie Rolheiser/northeastNOW staff)

By Angie Rolheiser

Easter Tree

Aberdeen Easter Miracle Tree fundraiser turns into spirit lifter

Apr 3, 2020 | 12:02 PM

The Easter Miracle Tree tradition continues in Aberdeen but is more of a spirit lifter this year rather than a fundraiser.

For the past five years, a committee has sold eggs to residents of the town and surrounding area to serve as a fundraiser for families in need the following Christmas season.

Marcea Malinowski told northeastNOW this year began as usual but has changed due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Saskatchewan.

“With people losing jobs, we didn’t want to push people for donations so we decided that with every picture that was sent into us with the Easter egg on it, we would put 25 eggs on the tree,” Malinowski said.

The committee filled up two trees with 5200 Easter eggs, which is an increase from years previous. The first year there were 800 eggs.

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“We thought this would give people something to go look at on their walks and spend time with instead of just a few people getting money help at Christmas time,” Malinowski said.

A donation came in from California, as well as from a lady from Ontario who wanted a picture up of her cat.

New interest has come in since Malinowski began posting updates on the tree to the Easter Egg Hunt 2020 with social distancing Facebook page that was created two weeks ago.

“We have a local kid who plays the bag pipes and he was going to go out onto his deck and practice so I asked his mom if he would go to the tree instead,” Malinowski said.

Daniel Stalker plays his bagpipes at the Aberdeen Easter Miracle Tree. (Facebook/Easter Miracle Tree)

Thirteen-year-old Daniel Stalker went to the tree and played his bag pipes for an afternoon, which can be seen on video on the Aberdeen Easter Miracle Tree Facebook page.

The colder weather has deterred people over the last little bit from visiting the tree but Malinowski said when it is nice, there are people going to check it out often.

The tree will remain decorated through April but eggs need to come off before the tree begins to bud.

As for needs during the pandemic, there haven’t been too many increases.

“I’m thinking we will see it and it will be tough this year with us not pushing hard for donations right now,” Malinowski said. “We will be ok but it may not be as big as we usually do.”

There may a new fundraiser before the holiday season approaches that will depend on how long social isolation lasts.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser