NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. - People are putting their Christmas decorating skills to the test for a good cause in Northbridge for the second annual Blackstone Valley Festival of Trees.

Each of the trees on display in the Great Hall at Northbridge Town Hall will be raffled off, and people who visited over the weekend voted for their favorite tree.

All the money raised benefits the Blackstone Valley Emergency Shelter, which is now in its eighth year trying to provide a warm place to stay for people who need it.

Executive Director Leslie Reichert said she was happy to see so many people eager to help out.

“We’re trying to open up an actual shelter at St. Pat’s Parish in Whitinsville, and we have more than 10 people who are just dying for us to open it up because they’re living in their cars, they’re living in tents, or they’re living in the woods right now and they’re freezing,” Reichert said. “So we’re hurrying up to get that taken care of so we can help them even more.”

Reichert said so far this season since the weather became colder, 60 people have used the Blackstone Valley Emergency Shelter.

Local businesses and others participating in the event combined to decorate more than 40 trees.