Love Light Trees light up the season

Published 10:59 pm Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Many cities have their Christmas traditions, from parades through downtown to community tree lighting ceremonies. Dalton is fortunate to have both.

The downtown parade has just finished, and so has the tree-lighting ceremony, but the latter  has a quality that continues all season.

Begun in 1983, the Love Light Trees ceremony has occurred at Hamilton Medical Center as a fundraiser for its sponsor, the Whitfield Healthcare Foundation, which is Hamilton Health Care System’s fundraising arm.

The trees — there are three atop the portico at the hospital — symbolize more than decorations. Lights are added to the trees throughout the holiday season in honor or memory of a friend or loved one, and the names of those people, as well as of those making the contributions, are listed in The Daily Citizen’s Sunday editions during December. The first listing was published this past Sunday.

For a minimum contribution of $10 to the foundation, a light is added to the Love Light Trees. A gift of $100 designates a “Star” light, and a $500 gift designates an “Angel.”

In the past 30 years the program has raised $557,000. At times the money has been used to buy life-enhancing equipment for the maternity ward or other departments. This year the money will again go to Hamilton Hospice, a not-for-profit that provides end-of-life care for individuals and families touched by life-limiting illnesses, regardless of their ability to pay.

As Christmas draws closer, the Love Light Trees should be growing brighter as more residents honor and remember friends and loved ones.

The Love Light Trees remind us of the continuing generosity of the Dalton community that not only improves health care in this area but brightens the season for all.