Tree of Lights celebrates community's generosity while remembering loved ones
Vinton Today / December 20th, 2010
The Virginia Gay Hospital Tree of Lights is a celebration of generosity -- and a celebration of memories.
The annual VGH Foundation fund-raiser has brought in nearly $1 million in donations toward new equipment to improve patient care at VGH and the VGH Nursing and Rehab Center in its 19 years.
This year, area residents, families and businesses joined VGH. By last Thursday's final tree lighting ceremony, more than $53,000 had been donated. The VGH Clinics in Urbana and Van Horne also join in the annual fund-raiser.
"We exceeded last year's total, which was our first goal," said Mike Timmermans, Foundation Director.
That amount covers the cost of the new pulmonary function machine that can help more quickly diagnose lung ailments such as COPD.
VGH Administrator Mike Riege said the new machine will help serve many people with faster diagnoses, leading to quicker treatment and therapy for respiratory conditions.
Timmermans thanked the community for its generosity in this year's Tree of Lights campaign, as well as the recently-completed capitol fund drive that brought in more than $2 million toward the expansion and renovation.
As Timmermans spoke, he was standing near the remodeled patient registration center. Behind him, on a hallway wall, was the Commitment to Caring board that thanked donors for their generosity.
The success of the Tree of Lights fund-raiser, following the amazing response of the community for the capital fund drive – and in times of continued economic difficulty to many – is a tribute to the giving nature of Vinton and area residents, Timmermans said.
But the Tree of Lights is also about honoring the memory of loved ones who have recently died.
In 2010, the Virginia Gay Hospital community lost three of its beloved long-time friends. Their friends and family honored them during this year's Tree of Lights.
Dr. Don Martin moved to Vinton to begin the Martin Eye Clinic, which he ran until retiring in 2004. Dr. Martin died Oct. 29. John and Bev Anderson honored Dr. Martin by sponsoring the large star in his name this year. Dr. Martin's family attended the ceremony and shared some memories of him.
Lynn Fraker served on the VGH Board for many years. She died in a car crash in Missouri on July 11. The VGH Board of Directors honored Fraker by sponsoring the small star in her memory. Fraker was a dental instructor for many years at Kirkwood Community College, and later served in its Career Academy, touching the lives of countless students.
Dorothy "Dot" Helms was a nurse at Virginia Gay Hospital from 1974 until 1996, and stayed active in the VGH retirees group. She was a mentor to younger nurses and also saw several of her family members join that profession before her death Oct. 16. Dorothy's family and others honored her in this year's Tree of Lights.
These are just three of the hundreds of area residents who are honored or remembered through Tree of Lights donations each year.
"It's a terrific tradition – part of Vinton's core," said VGH Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Don Eells. "We always have an ambitious goal, and every year, the community reaches into its pockets and finds a way to meet the goal. And everyone is better because of it."
Concerning those honored during the Tree of Lights, Eells told the audience that filled the VGH lobby, "Just as you honored your loved ones with your donations, you are to be honored as well."
Eells recalled the day that Dr. Martin, representing the Vinton Kiwanis Club, shook his hand at graduation while presenting Eells a scholarship from the Kiwanis. He said that the sense of community support for the hospital is one reason he's glad he returned to Vinton.
Timmermans reminded the audience that the mission of the VGH Foundation is to distribute funds that will help promote, maintain and restore the health of the community members.
"This has been a very successful year," he said. "It's truly remarkable."
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