Tree of Lights

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November 24, 2009

Family and friends remembered at the Montgomery Hospice Tree of Lights

Multigenerational families gathered at the annual Montgomery Hospice Tree of Lights ceremony at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton Regional Park. Mr. John Chaplin, chairman of the Montgomery Hospice Foundation Board, introduced the memorial service led by Montgomery Hospice chaplain Avis Hoyt-O'Connor and Director of Bereavement Services Linda Tebelman. Families of two Montgomery Hospice patients assisted with lighting the giant conifer, each light on the tree representing a deceased friend or loved one from the community.

Heavy rains from earlier in the day left a warm mist in the air, allowing families to wander through the colorful and imaginative "Garden of Lights" display. Inside the visitors' center, with harp music in the background, families shared refreshments and personal stories. Colorful scarves handmade by student volunteers at the Montgomery County Volunteer Center's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service were especially enjoyed by the many children in attendance. Interns from the Montgomery County Public School Superintendent's Leadership Program assisted with the distribution of the scarves. Tree of Lights pictures from 2008

Tree of Lights pictures from previous years