Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation hosts annual Light Up a Life event

[December 09, 2021]  The Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation hosted its annual Light Up a Life ceremony on Tuesday evening.

This year, the event was held on the front lawn of the hospital to eliminate a large gathering of people walking through the hospital to the west patio.

The traditional white Christmas tree was placed in a patio area just off of the main entrance of the hospital, with guests greeted under the carport by staff who distributed candles and programs for the evening.

Left to right Chloe Yuan, Cindy Smith, Rylie Brackney, Chase Dilworth

This year the program was led by Foundation Director Rylie Brackney with prayers offered by Chaplain Chase Dilworth, Cindy Smith and Chloe Yuan provided music.
 

The temperatures Tuesday evening were quite chilly. The hospital foundation made guests more comfortable by providing torchiere overhead heaters in the area of the service. Guests gathered around the heaters and enjoyed warming up before the service.

Brackney began the service welcoming those in attendance. Chaplain Dilworth then offered an opening prayer.

After the prayer, Brackney read aloud the poem “Light a Candle.”



Following the poem was the lighting of the remembrance candles among the guests.

As the candles glowed softly, Smith and Yuan sang “O Christmas Tree” and the large white tree was lit. The ceremony then closed with prayer offered by Chaplain Dilworth.

After the ceremony, guests were encouraged to take a gift bag home that included a choice of chicken soup or chili with crackers, a packet of hot chocolate mix and a sugar cookies decorated as a white Christmas tree with an abundance of frosting.

While this year’s ceremony was brief, it was solemn, and offered guests an opportunity to remember loved ones lost.

In conjunction with the annual event the hospital foundation hosts a fund drive to raise money that is used to finance scholarships for students going into medical fields. Money may also be used to purchase needed equipment and or supplies for the Lincoln hospital.

Each year, Lincoln Daily News publishes the list of remembrance contributions made to the foundation. The contributions are given in remembrance of those who have passed away and also in most cases were patients cared for during their illnesses at Lincoln Memorial Hospital.

That publication is expected to come out just before Christmas.

[Nila Smith]