Tree of Light beams out its message

THE crowd gasped as, at a flick of a switch, the darkness was pierced by the shimmering blue lights and the brilliant white star on the glorious South Coast Hospice Tree of Light.

For many, it was an emotional moment. The tree lighting ceremony was part of a family carol singing evening at the Southcoast Mall last Saturday. An international symbol uniting hospices around the world, the lit tree represented love and remembrance. As the South Coast Hospice tree blazed out this message, many symbolic lamps glowed in memory of loved ones no longer with us.

The Tree of Light is also a major fund-raiser. The donations received to switch on symbolic lamps will enable South Coast Hospice to continue its wonderful work within the South Coast community for yet another year. Those in charge of this annual campaign are still R20 000 away from the 2013 target, but the tree will be lit throughout the festive season and donations towards this year’s fund will be gratefully received right through the season, into the new year.

This year, a record crowd attended the carols evening and tree lighting ceremony. It started with a moving performance by the renowned South Coast Hospice Choir, after which local families enjoyed the lovely, old-fashioned communal carol singing. Port Shepstone Rotarians and Rotary Anns supported the event by taking care of the catering.

The switch-on was particularly poignant this year. The ceremony was performed by Port Shepstone Rotarian Graham Dickson, assisted by his son, Hedley, and his daughter, Lisa Kelly. Graham’s wife, Jenny, lost her brave battle against cancer earlier this year and he was asked to switch on the tree in recognition of the selfless contribution she had made to her community through her involvement with Rotary and South Coast Hospice.

Master of ceremonies Scot Scott added a special touch to the lovely evening, interacting warmly with everyone at the ceremony. There was also an early Christmas present for two lucky people as the draws for the Christmas cake and hamper raffles were held during the course of the evening.

However, the raffle for ‘Jenny’s House’, a beautiful, fully-furnished dolls’ house, partly built by Jenny Dickson before she died and then completed by other hospice volunteers, has not yet been drawn. The draw will only take place outside Ramsgate Stationers at the Southcoast Mall on Christmas Eve, December 24, at 3pm, so there is still time to buy a ticket.

“South Coast Hospice thanks Scot Scott, all the sponsors and organisers of the evening and all the wonderful South Coast people and businesses who support this project. Their contributions are so very important,” said South Coast Hospice representative Sonja Pye.

You can buy a ‘Jenny’s House’ raffle ticket or obtain a pledge form to light a symbolic lamp in memory of a loved one, at the South Coast Hospice table at the Southcoast Mall, at the mall’s management office, from the South Coast Hospice office in Port Shepstone or by contacting hospice at 039 6823031.