From the Mountains Community Hospital Website:
Many of our mountain residents may not be aware that every year, during the summer, Mountains Community Hospital holds a special observance, honoring loved ones who have passed away.
Hosted by the members of our MCH Auxiliary, a lovely ceremony is arranged in the tranquil setting of our hospital’s Rose Garden, overlooking beautiful Lake Arrowhead. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, August 4th from 2-4pm.
If you have a deceased family member or friend, or know of someone whom you would like us to honor, please contact either Christi Schneider at #909-337-6940, no later than July 15, 2018, to make sure you are included in this year’s program and event.
Our hospital has been sponsoring this event for over 45 years. We consider it a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge those who have lived and worked in our community, and who have impacted our lives by their presence.
The names of loved ones are collected by our social services manager, Gloria Fernandez, from a list obtained from our Skilled Nursing Facility, as well as any persons who have passed away in our hospital during the year. Gloria works with Christi Schneider, our current auxiliary board president, who chairs this event. In addition, anyone in our community, who has a loved one they would like to memorialize, is encouraged to contact Christi so that they can be included in this ceremony.
Letters will be mailed out to family members this month, notifying them of the date of the event, and giving them the opportunity to participate. Once the names have been compiled and confirmed, they are included in the memorial program. A $25 donation, from each family, is requested, which is used to purchase a new rose plant for the ceremony, and engraved name plaque for each person being honored. At the end of the service, participants and auxiliary members gather around the Rose Garden, for a prayer and to observe the rose which has been selected for this year.
This new rose is named and the garden is lovingly maintained throughout the year, by gardeners at the hospital, with the help of a small group of Auxiliary volunteers. In addition, an engraved plate, with the loved one’s name, is added to a large plaque, located in the hospital’s main hallway.
This ceremony is another way that Mountains Community Hospital reaches out to serve our community. Next time you visit our hospital, please stop by to view the names of those we have honored during this special service.