November 24, 2006

Genesis Lights Remembrance Trees

DAVENPORT, Iowa – Residents of the Quad Cities and Clinton County are invited to tree-lighting celebrations to honor the memory of loved ones and focus attention on the continuing and growing need of hospice care in the community.

The Genesis Remembrance Trees, located in Davenport and DeWitt, will be lit at simultaneous ceremonies at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 28.

The Quad City Remembrance Tree is located in the new Bechtel Park at River Drive and Iowa Street, in Davenport. This is the third year for the tree, and second year for the 30-foot-tall Blue Spruce that was transplanted last year from Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley.

This is the first year for the Remembrance Tree in Clinton County, located at Genesis Medical Center, DeWitt, 1118 11th St. in DeWitt.

Both ceremonies will begin with musical preludes at 4:30 p.m. Quad City Symphony Orchestra guest artist David Bellugi and the Moline High School Choir will perform at the Quad City ceremony, while Central Community Schools Chamber Singers will perform in DeWitt. The trees will be illuminated at approximately 5:25 p.m.

Individual “light” sponsors are invited to make a donation in any amount in the name of a loved one, and all proceeds will benefit Genesis Hospice Care. In conjunction with the tree, individuals may also inscribe the names of loved ones into the Genesis “Book of Names” that will be read aloud at closing ceremonies in January.

Anyone who wishes to inscribe a name of a loved one in the book can do so in-person the night of the tree lighting. All names will be read aloud in closing ceremonies on Jan. 6 at 4:30 p.m. Once all the names are read, the lights of the trees will be extinguished.

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