The Avita Health System Galion Hospital Auxiliary celebrated the Festival of Lights on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Activities included adding names to the “lights” for the Memory Tree, face painting, music, letters to Santa, storytelling, crafts, and speakers.
The Memory Tree is erected for Festival of Lights and remains through the holidays. Names of family members or friends can be added to an ornament and a “light” can be placed on the tree. The name is also placed in the notebook and the list of memorial names can be viewed throughout the year.
Barb Young was busy all evening creating beautiful paintings on the faces of children, while volunteers at another station assisted children with letters to Santa.
The Galion High School Showtunes entertained the crowd with “Deck the Halls,” “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” “Frosty the Snowman” and “Felis Navidad.”
Heather Tiffany, of the Galion Public Library, read stories to the children by the Christmas tree and volunteers and members of the junior auxiliary help children create a variety of crafts to take home.
Jerry Morasko, CEO and president of Avita, welcomed visitors. “This is the oldest fund raiser to be organized by the auxiliary 30 years ago. We celebrate the start of the season and honor and memorialize friends and family.”
“The auxiliary has raised over $2 million for the hospital,” said Doug Shilling, board chairman of the hospital. Donations are used for new technology and equipment for the hospital.
Patty Rice Groth, president of the Galion Hospital Auxiliary, organized and coordinated the event. This year she also emceed the event, introducing the speakers and the choir and directing visitors to each activity. “We enjoy doing it,” said Groth. “It’s fun for us and fun for the community.”
Lori Brubach, volunteer coordinator, said, “It started as a fundraiser and has grown into the kick-off to the holiday season. It is more than just the lighting of the tree. Every year we build on it.”
Brubach said the event is good for the hospital and the community. “It’s good for public relations. It’s a nice, clean place for [visitors] to come.”
Brubach said this is only one of the many fundraising activities the volunteers of the hospital and the hospital auxiliary organize. Others include the uniform sales, book sales, jewelry sales and bake sales. The next book sale is Friday, Dec. 5 from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Brubach said they are always in need of volunteers of any age. There is also a junior auxiliary organization for young people. For more information call Bruback at 419-468-0727 or email lbrubach@avitahs.org.
