The 2020 Love Light celebration was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the Love Light Garden was lit up even brighter than usual. 

Each December, Colquitt Regional Medical Center decks its halls with Christmas décor to celebrate the holiday season, but there is one particular event that has become a special, time-honored tradition over the course of its history – the annual lighting of the Love Light Garden. 

The seed for the Love Light Garden was planted when the late Dr. Walter Harrison, beloved pediatrician and humanitarian, approached the Colquitt Regional Medical Foundation to help him raise funds for obstetric, pediatric, and nursery services at Colquitt Regional. Harrison, who served over 40 years on the hospital’s medical staff, understood the importance of providing quality, compassionate care to children in an underserved area and made it his mission to ensure that the necessary resources were available for the children of Colquitt County. 

“Dr. Harrison had an unmatched passion for children and service to our community,” said Colquitt Regional Medical Foundation Director Nicole Gilbert. “When he approached the Foundation about finding a way to help pediatric patients, a Children’s Fund was established in 1994 that would be dedicated to providing an elevated level of care for our pediatric patients. Once the fund was created, the vision for the Love Light Garden quickly began to take shape.” 

In December of 1994, the Love Light Garden was opened and the first ceremony was held. For the past 26 years, the Love Light Ceremony has been a community tradition where hospital staff, donors, and Colquitt County citizens gather in the garden each December to kick off the holiday season. The Foundation works closely with the Director of Pediatrics to identify a patient from that year who has overcome extraordinary circumstances to light the focal, multi-color tree in the center of the garden with Santa. The atmosphere is particularly festive with the sounds of local children singing Christmas carols and the aroma of sweet treats and cocoa being served. 

Since its inception, there have been two primary options for donations to the Children’s Fund. Individuals may buy a brick paver with a loved one’s name etched into it year-round that is placed in the garden sidewalk. They may also purchase a “love light” on the Christmas tree that is lit each year in memory of someone. The funds raised have been utilized to purchase items such as baby warmers, bili-blankets, pediatric blood pressure monitors, baby cribs, hearing aid machines, car seats for every newborn, and much more. 

“To date, we have received over $240,000 in donations to the Children’s Fund,” said Gilbert. “It is very humbling to see the community support our hospital in many ways, but through this fund, we are able to make a lasting impact on hundreds of children and their families every year. We are so grateful to those who graciously give and remember their loved ones through a paved brick or love light.” 

When the hospital underwent a multi-million-dollar expansion in 2014, the

original Love Light Garden was moved into what is now known as the Kate Jeter Serenity Garden. This garden, built that same year by Rosalind and Jimmy Jeter to honor the memory of their daughter, Kate, is now home to the bricks from the original Love Light Garden and the ceremony has been held there for the past six years. 

The ceremony also serves as the time where each year’s Harrison Humanitarian Award winner is named and honored. When Harrison passed away in 2010, an anonymous donor came forward to establish an award to recognize an individual healthcare worker each year who demonstrates a commitment to compassionate health care service and community outreach. 

“These principles guided Dr. Harrison’s medical career and the Foundation saw it fitting that his award be named at the event he spearheaded and was so dear to his heart,” said Gilbert. 

As with many events over the past year and a half, there had to be modifications to accommodate for the ongoing pandemic. Although the 2020 ceremony was held virtually, it was no less special than previous years. 

“Last year’s Love Light Ceremony served as a way to spread cheer during a surge in COVID-19 cases,” said Jim Matney, Colquitt Regional President and CEO. “The Foundation enhanced the decorations in the garden last year to include 20 new LED Christmas trees and Christmas music that plays throughout each day to help lift the spirits of community members and employees.” 

While locations and logistics have shifted over the years, the heart of the Love Light Garden has never wavered and the Foundation is still as committed as ever to the children of the community. 

“Please consider donating to the Children’s Fund this holiday season by purchasing

a Love Light,” said Gilbert. “This year’s funds will aid in the renovation of a six-bed state-of- the-art pediatric unit in the hospital. We also invite each community member to visit the Kate Jeter Serenity Garden and enjoy the festive lights and music.” 

For more information on how to purchase a Love Light or paved brick, please contact Nicole Gilbert at 229-890-3416. 

Jordan Hammack is assistant director of marketing at Colquitt Regional Medical Center.