News : VGH Initial Tree Lighting set for Nov. 18, after parade and Santa\'s arrival

Those attending the Thursday Tree Lighting can also see the Holiday Tree Walk trees at VGH.

After you salute area residents for their military service during the second annual Veterans Patriotic Christmas Parade; and after you’ve taken your youngsters to see Santa and watch the lighting of the Christmas trees at the Benton Courthouse, you still have one more community holiday event to share with your neighbors

The Tree of Lights Initial Lighting at the VirginiaGayHospitaltakes place at 7 p.m.Thursday, November 18 at 7:00(come up after the parade downtown). There will be a short ceremony followed by refreshments in the lobby. Participants can also come in and see the trees on display in conjunction with the Cardiopulmonary Department’s first annual Holiday Tree Walk.

This year, the funds will go toward a new Pulminary Function Machine, which helps measure lung capacity. Other projects VGH leades hope to fund with proceeds from this year’s event include a new PICC Line System and training for six nurses, an electric Hi/Lo table, a Triple Pedalo System, and EZ stand with scale, a Panoptic Ophthalmoscope, an Electronic Stethoscope, a blanket warmer for radiology and an aviary for the Nursing and Rehab Center.

New Director to welcome participants at Tree Lighting events

The 19th Annual VGH Tree of Lights Fundraiser will support the hospital and clinics, as well as the VGH Nursing and RehabCenter, and its Home Health Department.

The holiday event is one of the main fund-raising efforts of the VGH Foundation each year, says new director Mike Timmermans.

Timmermans, who spent more than 30 years as a teacher, coach and principal of Vinton-ShellsburgMiddle School, replaced La Teresa Klingman, who retired earlier this year. He will be involved in each of the lighting ceremonies.

Like Klingman, Timmermans likes to work behind the scene, and says the success of the Foundation depends much more on the leadership of the Foundation Board and the generosity of the community rather than the name on the director’s door.

“The Foundation Board has only had two chairmen since it began,” said Timmermans. Don Eells replaced Keith Mossman, who had served since the Foundation began in 1993. Mossman was involved in leading fund drives for the hospital 50 years ago, and continued to lead efforts for decades. Eells has also helped lead the capital fund drives for the hospital’s expansion projects, including the large addition and renovation of the past two years.

Timmermans said the Foundation has raised approximately $5 million since it began. Approximately $1 million of that has come from the annual Tree of Lights event.

The Murphy Memorial Golf Tournament, as well as private donation, bequeaths of land and other estate giving also add to the Foundation’s total, along with the Commitment to Caring Capital Fund Drive.

December HolidayTree Lighting Schedule

The 9th Annual Tree Lighting at the VGH Clinic in Urbanais scheduled for noon on Monday Dec. 13, at the clinic.

The 12th Annual Tree Lighting at the VGH Clinic in Van Horne is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, Dec. 15, at the clinic.

The Final Lighting at the Hospital is scheduled for 7 p.m.on December 16, in the VGH lobby.

On-line donations

Thanks to the new VGH and VGH Foundation web site designed by Monkeytown, donors can now contribute to the Tree of Lights campaign online.

Simply go to http://www.myvgh.org/foundation/tree_of_lights.html and click on the donate button.

“Our communities have been extremely generous over the years in support of our health-care facilities. Please know how appreciative we have been for your donations in the past. Thank you, and we hope to see you on the 18th,” says Timmermans.

Call the Virginia Gay Healthcare Foundation at 472-2625 or go online at www.myvgh.com for more information.