Everyday, Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center helps provide quality care to individuals with incurable diseases.

The organization helps care for the physical well-being of people with various medical support, but it also provides comforting services such as music therapy and story keeping - where it records clients' memories for their families.

Although the hospice has a supporting network of volunteers, the group also needs money to continue offering care to residents across Northeast Georgia.
As a way of raising money for the group, the Medical Center Auxiliary started the Love Light Tree Lighting Celebration 31 years ago.

For a $10 to $500 donation, individuals can purchase a light, star or angel that adorns the Love Light Tree, which is displayed in the Auxiliary Love Light Garden.

The adornments are often used as a way of honoring a loved one who has died.

"The tree-lighting celebration is a way for us to recognize the meaning of the Love Lights and what it does to support hospice," said Lynne Allen, the medical center's director of volunteer services.

One hundred percent of the Love Light donations benefit the organization. So far, more than $1.2 million has been raised over the last three decades.

This year's lighting ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Monday in the auxiliary garden, near the North Patient Tower on the medical center's Gainesville campus.

Although the celebration has been going on for a number of years, the auxiliary has managed to add a new feature to the ceremony.

"Deborah Bolding, (a clinical harpist and hospice volunteer) will be performing in the entrance of the North Patient Tower, prior to the lighting," Allen said.
"She plays the harp for some of our hospice patients and so we thought this would be a very meaningful addition."

Although the celebration will honor those individuals that have already contributed, the Love Light campaign isn't over.

"Love Light donations are accepted throughout the year," Allen said.

"With the celebration being so early in December, we are very grateful for those people who continue to donate even after the lighting."