St. Catharines Downtown Association

 

Warrant Officer Brown was among five deceased local notables who were honoured at the annual ceremony, whose highlight is the lighting of a tree at St. Catharines city hall.

The top strands of the tree — representing the honoured deceased — were the first to light up the night.

Each donation to the campaign turns on more bulbs and represents a person who is honoured or remembered.

Other notables recognized in St. Catharines were Niagara children's aid pioneer John C. Elliott, physician and health-care leader Dr. Heime Geffen, businessman Bob Grimm and public relations powerhouse Lou Cahill, who died last year at age 94.

Cahill's son, former Standard photographer Denis Cahill, joined other family members for the event.

"I guess when the lights go on, dad is here," Cahill said. "He was a big booster of all things St. Catharines, especially the hospitals here."

The campaign began in 1986 as a fundraising initiative of the St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation.

Proceeds have been used to buy equipment for the operating and emergency rooms intensive care unit and pediatrics unit.

Almost $1.2 million has been raised in the campaign's 23-year history.

A similar Tree of Lights launch took place last week at Thorold's firehall on Towpath Street. The combined goal for the campaigns is $75,000.

Funds raised this year go to the purchase of BiPAP machines for respiratory therapy at the St. Catharines General.

The campaign ends Jan. 15.

Please see full story in The St. Catharines Standard by D. Fraser at:

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2182345