45 years of warmth and giving from the Mitten Tree

Published 2:59 pm Monday, December 22, 2014

For the 45th year Renton’s First Savings Bank Northwest donated a tree full of knitted mittens, gloves, scarves and booties to the Salvation Army.

“Forty-five years is a long time…this is something that’s deeply rooted in Renton as First Savings Bank is,” said Carol Janssen, marketing vice president. “We’re 91 years old and just being a part of the community for that long and giving back to the community is important.”

The tradition started in 1969 when Tom Ross, a lending officer, suggested the giving, family themed tree to H.A. Blencoe, the CEO at the time. Every year since the company has placed a large tree in its lobby and watched as donations came from all over the community and country to fill its boughs from customers and non-customers alike.

“This is like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” said Major Kris Potter of the Salvation Army. “This is an incredible work of labor and love and effort from a whole assortment of people.”

Potter was amazed at the amount of color, shapes and sizes packed on the tree.

“It’s a work of love,” he said. “They call it a Knitten-Mitten Tree, but it’s really a tree of love is what it is.”