When I was the medical writer at the Akron Beacon Journal, I always looked forward to one special annual story assignment.

Every November, I got the chance to take a sneak peek at the Akron Children's Hospital Holiday Tree Festival while volunteers decorated their donated trees.

Now in its 44th year, the annual Holiday Tree Festival is the single-biggest fundraising event for the pediatric hospital , with proceeds from sales of the donated trees and other items benefitting medical research, education and patient care programs.

But more than that, the event has become a community holiday tradition — one that marks the official start to the Christmas season for many Akron-area families. This year, as always, the tree festival is free to attend as a gift to the Greater Akron community.

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