Joan Curtis of Demorest (center) is the 2014 Volunteer of the Year at Habersham Medical Center. She volunteers at Habersham Home East, the Medical Center’s long-term care facility. Curtis was recognized during this year’s Love Light Concert. Pictured with Curtis are Rhonda Smith, Habersham Home’s social services coordinator and Ann Bradshaw, administrator of Habersham Home.
CORNELIA, Ga. – 109 musicians of all ages entertained a capacity crowd as the Habersham Medical Center Auxiliary presented the 2014 Love Light Concert on Tuesday evening, December 2nd, in the beautifully decorated sanctuary of the First Baptist Church in Cornelia. Called “an overwhelming success” by organizers, this year’s holiday event continued an almost 40-year tradition of community-based Christmas musical concerts which usher in the Christmas season for many Habersham Countians.
This year’s concert, as in years past, benefitted the Habersham Medical Center Foundation and proceeds from the Love Light campaign will be used to purchase new equipment for the Medical Center’s Emergency Department in Demorest.
The concert has become so popular and so well attended that the decision was made several years ago to move it annually from church to church throughout Habersham County – perfect settings for the event that brings so many individuals and families together from across Northeast Georgia.
Those choirs, choruses, and instrumentalists performing excerpts from their Christmas musical programs before the large and enthusiastic audience included: pianists Mary Turner and Donna Bunn James, the First Baptist Sanctuary Choir, “His Heartstrings”, a violin ensemble from Camp Creek Baptist Church, and Mountain Voices.
The event also featured soloist Portia Burns, the “Aldersgate Singers” from Cornelia United Methodist Church, a choral ensemble from Bethlehem Baptist Church and “Kip’s Crew” – the 4th and 5th grade chorus from Clarkesville Elementary School. The program concluded with an audience sing-a-long of traditional Christmas favorites – “White Christmas”, “Let There Be Peace on Earth”, and the ever-popular “Silent Night.”
In addition to musical entertainment, one of the highlights of this year’s celebration was the recognition of the Habersham Medical Center Auxiliary “Volunteer of the Year.” Because of her exemplary service to the Medical Center and Habersham Home East, Joan Curtis of Demorest was named this year’s recipient.
“This event has become a tremendous way to showcase the extraordinary amount of talent in and around Habersham County and, at the same time, to benefit a most worthwhile cause. We are honored to sponsor this inspirational celebration,” said April James, Habersham Medical Center’s director of volunteer services.
“Our thanks goes out to those individuals and groups who performed and to First Baptist in Cornelia for the use of their beautiful facility. What would Christmas be without music, and the old familiar melodies and carols of the holiday season? The HMC Auxiliary is proud to help put folks into the holiday mood, and to show off the remarkable spirit of unity in our community especially at Christmas,” according to Jerry Wise, President and CEO of Habersham Medical Center. “We also owe a tremendous ‘thank you’ to the planning committee for this event: April James, Evelyn McClain, Bill Loyd, Ryan Snow, and Maggie Smallwood.”
