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The Claiborne Medical Center will be ringing in the holiday season with a Commemorative Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Covenant Health-Claiborne County Healthcare Foundation, a nonprofit organization, is sponsoring the event, slated for Dec. 3 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The ceremony will be held under the canopy located below the Medical Center.

The event is a novel way to raise some dollars for the facility while commemorating those loved ones who have passed.

Each ornament will be placed on the tree and the name of every loved one read aloud during the ceremony which, according to the brochure, begins at 2:55 p.m. with a welcome from Claiborne Medical Center’s Chief Administrative Officer Patti Ketterman. The reading of names will intersperse live music until 5:50 p.m. when St. Luke 2:1-20 will be read by the Rev. Eddie Overholt followed by a prayer from the Rev. Mike Humfleet.

The commemorative bell will toll 21 times immediately followed by the official lighting of the Christmas tree, which will conclude the ceremony.

Those interested in purchasing a commemorative ornament may do so in advance at the Claiborne Medical Center Administration Office or at the Realty Group in New Tazewell. The ornaments and permanent art ink pens will also be available for purchase during the event.

Those honoring up to five individuals may purchase ornaments for $5 each. Six to nine ornaments may be bought for $4 each. Anyone purchasing ten or more ornaments may do so at $3 each.

The Claiborne County Healthcare Foundation is a 501(c)3 corporation created solely for charitable purposes. Its mission is to provide delivery of quality healthcare services to those in need of care in and surrounding Claiborne County regardless of the ability to pay.

The event will be held outdoors, which means warm clothing and a lawn chair will be needed.

For more information, or to place an order by email, contact Betsy Maples at: bmaples@cchnh.org or Carl Nichols at: realtygrouptn@yahoo.com.