Trees of Hope...Where Every Tree Has A Story

Behind every tree on display at Trees of Hope, there is a personal story. These stories tell us of love, courage, and hope shared by families and friends when faced with life’s most difficult challenges. This year, we share the story of Jamie Hulley, in whose memory a tree has been created for this year’s event.

Jamie Hulley was an active college student studying art when she learned the devastating news that she had an aggressive form of lymphoma. Just weeks before her twenty-second birthday, Jamie succumbed to the disease.

To honor their daughter’s memory, Jamie’s parents, Judy Primavera and Fred Hulley, created the Jamie A. Hulley Arts Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the educational enrichment and professional development of young artists. Hundreds of area children, teens and early career adults have enjoyed enriched artistic lives thanks to many foundation-sponsored programs.

Last year, Judy and Fred attended Trees of Hope for the first time with their friend, JoAnn Scinto, an RMH Board member. After viewing the trees and learning some of the stories behind them, they decided to create a tree in Jamie’s memory for 2007. “We know the toll cancer takes. This is a way to help families going through what we did,” said
Judy.

The family has been collecting decorations throughout the year. Their tree—titled Got Art—will include art supplies as well as butterflies, another of Jamie’s favorite things and the logo for her foundation.