Wednesday night’s rain didn’t dampen the holiday spirit for patients, families, staff and supporters of WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital.
It was the third annual Holiday Lights & Goodnights, moved from outside in front of the hospital to inside the lobby so everyone could stay dry.
Carolers from Fairmont Senior High School filled the lobby with Christmas songs. Kids and adults sipped hot chocolate. Santa made his way through and offered his greetings.
Young Maverick Davis has the honor of pushing the plunger to light the tree outside the lobby. Amy Bush, Children’s chief administrative officer, shared his special story.
Maverick is the son of Phillip and Rebecca Davis and was born prematurely. He had surgery at just 30 days old. He spent 7 ½ months in the NICU. And he was the first patient to be moved into the new hospital when it opened in 2022.
Speaking to the press, Bush said the Children’s team cares for the kids every day. “But especially during this holiday season, to bring some extra hope and joy to the kids that are here in our hospital and their families is very meaningful to us.”
Sturgill Tree Farm in Pocahontas County donated the 29-foot tree. Members of the nonprofit Mountain Loggers Group brought and erected it.
“This tree is much more than a holiday decoration,” Bush told attendees before the tree lighting. “This tree is a true symbol of resilience, extraordinary strength, compassion and hope that we see every day.”
Mountain Loggers donates to Children’s year-round, Bush said. The results of their fundraising can be seen all over the hospital.
“The Mountain Logger family is our family,” she said. “They are aligned with our values. They share the same values and the same mission: to create healthier futures for the kids.”
For this event, Mountain Loggers also donated $158,029, and brought toys for the patients. The group raised the money at its October Log-a-Load for Kids log auction held in Elkins.
Danny Sines, president of Mountain Loggers, told how they first got involved, when Bush approached them needing some help with a tree for the first Holiday Lights & Goodnights.
“It’s just important to us to keep it going and make it better every year,” he said. Mountain Loggers has donated a total $2.6 million to the hospital.
Before the tree lighting, Bush told the attendees, “This time of year has become a wonderful tradition for us. It takes a team to take care of all the kids here at Golisano Children’s. And it takes a team to bring this holiday magic.”
She said, “This tree will greet each family as they enter our doors.” And bring cheer to the staff inside.
Following the tree lighting, the annual First Responder Light Parade, featuring more than 100 vehicles with flashing lights, weaved its way around the hospital campus roads. Patients and their families watched the parade from their rooms and from the top floor windows of the Hostetler Family Resource Center.
Santa was there on the top floor too, where wagons loaded with Teddy bears, and tables stacked with holiday pajamas donated by Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration awaited distribution.
Santa also read a bedtime story to the patients. The story was streamed on social media so all the kids in the hospital could listen from their rooms.
