Holiday Lights guest speaker, Marc Beaubien, left, stands before the illuminated tree with with Debbie Scarbrough, Hospitality House coordinator, and Clay Good, Holiday Lights chair. (Submitted photos)
The Hospitality Houses of Methodist Medical Center provide a home away from home for cancer patients and their families who come to Methodist Medical Center for treatment. Nearly 4,000 guests have been welcomed into Methodist’s two houses, the Manly House and the CALM House. Thanks to the community’s generosity during the annual Holiday Lights campaign, the houses will continue to provide lodging, food and comfort to the guests who pass through their doors.
Holiday Lights is the annual fundraiser that supports Methodist’s Hospitality Houses through the sponsorship of lights. The Methodist Medical Center Foundation held a dedication ceremony on Dec. 6 to thank this year’s donors, who gave their support by contributing $28,000 to Holiday Lights, an amount which has continued to grow even as the official campaign comes to a close. The money raised through the campaign is used to pay for the houses’ daily operations, utilities, food, and overall upkeep.
Donations to Holiday Lights were made in memory or honor of loved ones, friends, physicians, and caregivers. During the dedication ceremony, Mike Belbeck, president and chief administrative officer of Methodist Medical Center, recognized the donors who support Holiday Lights, but he also acknowledged those who have kept the houses running for the past 15 years: the volunteers who have given their time and service to the houses and the staff who have worked to maintain a place of comfort for guests.
Girl Scouts from Troop 69 hosted refreshments during a special open house held at the Hospitality Houses prior to the lighting dedication ceremony. They supplied homemade goodies for the occasion.
The ceremony also included remarks by Clay Good, Holiday Lights chair of 14 years; music by The Carillons, the handbell choir of First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge; remarks by oncologist John Foust; and a moving personal testimony from a cancer patient and Hospitality House guest, Marc Beaubien. Additionally, the Hospitality Houses received proclamations by both the City of Oak Ridge and the state of Tennessee, which recognized the important service provided by the houses.
Prior to the evening’s dedication ceremony, a special open house was hosted for the community. Visitors had the opportunity to view the houses, meet the coordinator and volunteers who maintain the houses, and enjoy holiday treats prepared and served by Girl Scout Troop 69, which is led by Nan Shugart. The open house closed with caroling on the front porch by the Oak Ridge High School Madrigal Singers.
The Hospitality Houses and the Methodist Medical Center Foundation extend their sincere thanks to all those who give their support to the houses. These generous gifts allow the Hospitality Houses to fulfill their mission of providing comfort free of financial burdens. So, on behalf of the many guests these gifts will help, thank you.
For more information about other opportunities to support the Hospitality Houses, please call (865) 835-4358.
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