Cottage Hospital Auxiliary members rang in the start of the Christmas season with the lighting of its Memory Tree on the evening of December 6th. The tree lighting was made all the more festive by the season’s first major snowfall. The Auxiliary’s annual memory tree program enables its members, hospital staff and community to recognize the memory of loved ones with a donation to have a named ornament placed on the memory tree.

This year’s annual memory tree program was lead by Auxiliary Co-President Brenda Long as 28 members and friends gathered for a prayer reading by Auxiliary member Chris Roberts and a blessing of the memory tree by Pastor George Hemway of Trinity Church of the Nazarene, Woodsville, who also offered a prayer and inspirational words to honor the memory of those remembered and those not remembered. Auxiliary member Laraine King had the honor of lighting the memory tree and Auxiliary member Lori Thompson read the names of all of the loved ones whose memories were recognized this year.

“The Auxiliary wants to express its thanks to Pastor Hemway for performing the blessing and joining our members and friends as we start the Christmas season remembering those important in our lives,” stated Marcia Selent and Brenda Long, Auxiliary Co-Presidents. “The Cottage Hospital Auxiliary wishes all a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.”

A replica of the memory tree is in a display case near the hospital’s cafeteria for public viewing and contains ornaments with the names of all loved ones.

Immediately following the memory tree lighting ceremony, Auxiliary members got busy and transformed into Santa’s helpers as they decorated Christmas trees in the hospital’s main corridor and two patient waiting areas. They also decorated two Christmas trees in the Rowe Health Center patient waiting areas and placed wreaths on the hospital’s front corridor of windows and kissing balls on the grounds of the hospital and health center to bring Christmas cheer to patients and visitors.

Memory Tree Ornament Forms are available at the Cottage Hospital’s front welcome desk and ornaments can be purchased up through December 24th. Donations received will help fund the Auxiliary’s annual ongoing projects to support Cottage Hospital, Rowe Health Center and Ray of Hope Geriatric Behavioral Unit.

Karen Rajsteter and Eileen Belyea served as co-chairpersons for the Auxiliary’s 2016 Memory Tree project.

Membership in the Cottage Hospital Auxiliary is open to everyone, women, men and hospital employees. To obtain more information the Cottage Hospital Auxiliary or to become a member, please visit  our cottage hospital auxiliary  page or call 603-747-9707.