As construction continues on Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Braselton, newly announced signature gifts given to The Medical Center Foundation will bring to life two of 13 proposed donor-funded outdoor spaces planned on the new hospital campus: The Medical Center Auxiliary Love Light Garden and The Braselton Rotary Club Flag Plaza.
The Medical Center Auxiliary, the volunteer services arm of Northeast Georgia Health System, is making possible The Auxiliary Love Light Garden. The 2,700 square-foot garden on the west side of the NGMC Braselton campus will connect to the busy outdoor dining plaza and feature a Deodar Cedar. The tree will be lit with Love Lights – purchased by community members and given in honor of loved ones – each December. The lighting will coincide with the annual lighting of The Love Light Tree at NGMC Gainesville, a ceremony that began in 1981. Since that time, Love Light has raised $2.1 million to benefit Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
“The Auxiliary is a critical part of the hospital family and is always helping,” says Teresa Warren, director of Hospice of NGMC. “This gift and the garden will create greater awareness of the important work of Hospice of NGMC.”
The Braselton Rotary Club Flag Plaza’s expansive 37-foot stone wall and specialty paving will greet visitors as they arrive at NGMC Braselton’s rotunda entrance. The wall will be home to three flags – The United States of America, the State of Georgia and Northeast Georgia Health System.
“The Braselton Rotary Club’s generous donation creates a special legacy for the civic organization that is known for ‘service above self,’ says Jim Moore, Chairman of The Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees. “The club members’ enthusiasm for investing in the community is commendable and sets an example for future partnerships with the new hospital.”
“We are grateful to The Medical Center Auxiliary and the Braselton Rotary Club for their special gifts that totally fund enhancements the hospital could not otherwise fund,” says Anthony Williamson, Northeast Georgia Health System’s vice president of Greater Braselton Development.
Both The Auxiliary Love Light Garden and Braselton Rotary Club Flag Plaza will be complete when NGMC Braselton opens next spring. The Medical Center Foundation’s recent feasibility study indicated the community’s desire for the new hospital to be not only a healthcare destination, but also a destination for activity that brings together residents of the four-county area. The master plan includes more donor opportunities for gardens and walking trails that will allow the campus to fulfill the vision the community has created.
“Each of these opportunities can create a powerful legacy and set a wonderful example of how philanthropy can impact the health of our community,” says Nancy Colston, president and chief development officer for The Medical Center Foundation. “It’s proven that providing calming and nurturing healing spaces is good for not only the patients but their families and the staff caring for them, too. Healing is more than just medicine or treatment; it’s the environment in which the medical treatment takes place. We are very excited about the plans for NGMC Braselton and grateful to the Braselton Rotary Club and the Medical Center Auxiliary for leading the way. ”
For more information about these gifts and other opportunities, please contact Maggie James, signature gifts officer of The Medical Center Foundation, at 770-219-8120 or maggie.james@nghs.com.