Journal Pioneer

Lighting up the night

24th Lights for Life illuminate­s city skies over Prince County Hospital

- BY ALISON JENKINS Alison.jenkins@journalpio­neer.com @AlisonEBC

Snowpants and knitted hats were the outfit of choice Wednesday night, at the 24th Prince County Hospital Foundation’s Lights for Life. The smell of hot chocolate and spiced apple cider filled the cold night air. Children, bundled up until they resembled stuffed toys, bounced with anticipati­on. The Prince County Hospital staff choir sang Christmas carols from a stage. After a prayer and thanks to the sponsors and donors, emcee Chris Pride announced the beginning of the light show.

Snow pants and knitted hats were the outfit of choice Wednesday night at the 24th Prince County Hospital Foundation’s Lights for Life.

The smell of hot chocolate and spiced apple cider filled the cold night air. Children, bundled up until they resembled stuffed toys, bounced with anticipati­on. The Prince County Hospital (PCH) staff choir sang Christmas carols from a stage.

After a prayer and thanks to the sponsors and donors, emcee Chris Pride announced the beginning

of the light show. A chugging engine accompanie­d a glowing train and the lights began to flash in time to a Stompin’ Tom Connors carol.

A haunting melody was next, and angels illuminate­d the night.

Michael Bublé’s voice followed and had the crowd bobbing along to the tune.

To cap it off, the train made a return and bit by bit, all the lights blinked to life and shone together.

The PCH medical director Dr. Wassim Salamoun announced the largest total to date for the Lights for Life at $244,682 and donations are still rolling in until Dec. 31.

This year, the hospital has focused

their efforts on replacing the main X-ray room at a cost of $550,000.

“Whatever your gift and however you make it we thank you,” said the foundation board’s president Patrick McSweeny.

Not including this year’s total, the light show has raised over $3.4 million since its inception

in 1995. All the money goes to equipment for the hospital. Islanders sponsor the many thousands of lights through the month of November. White lights are $10 and coloured bulbs are more. Individual donors and the person they’ve memorializ­ed are published in a book each year. Irene Matthews picked up a book at the table next to the hot chocolate. She and her sister Louise MacDonald participat­e every year.

“The lights I get for my family,” she said.

 ??  ??
 ?? CONTRIBUTE­D ?? The 24th Lights for Life illuminati­on celebratio­n got underway Wednesday.
CONTRIBUTE­D The 24th Lights for Life illuminati­on celebratio­n got underway Wednesday.
 ?? ALISON JENKINS/JOURNAL PIONEER ?? Megan Rodger, left, and Dakota MacWilliam­s serve up hot chocolate to the crowd at the Lights for Life Wednesday.
ALISON JENKINS/JOURNAL PIONEER Megan Rodger, left, and Dakota MacWilliam­s serve up hot chocolate to the crowd at the Lights for Life Wednesday.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Canada