The City of Ripon to host Hospice of San Joaquin’s Tree of Lights for the first time in 2012 | Community

The 2012 holiday season will kick-off as hundreds of families will join together to light-up the Hospice of San Joaquin’s Trees of Lights throughout San Joaquin County.  “This year we are happy to announce Hospice of San Joaquin and the City of Ripon have partnered to establish a Tree of Lights at the jewel city of the State of California,” noted Gene Acevedo, Community Outreach Director Hospice of San Joaquin, “Hospice of San Joaquin has been serving the Ripon community for 22-years.  We are honored to contribute to the traditions enjoyed by Ripon’s Citizens.  Lighting the Tree of Lights will become an annual ritual that announces to opening of Ripon’s holiday season.”

“Tree of Lights offers our community an opportunity to memorialize a loved one no longer with us, or to honor a that person who holds a special place in your heart,” explained Stephen Guasco, Hospice of San Joaquin’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Light up a Light… Light up a Life!” has become a traditional holiday event in San Joaquin County.  The seven trees will be lit in the last week of November and first week of December.  The lighting ceremonies are made possible by partnerships between Hospice of San Joaquin with government, nonprofit agencies, businesses and community members.  Each Tree of Lights is independently arranged and lit with the warmth of each community.

Donation(s) to light up the tree includes listing of the name(s) along the Memory Boards at the base of the Tree.  Names are updated weekly at all locations and are removed at the end of the year, December 31st.

Tree of Lights will initiate at Delta College, located in the corner of Pacific and Yokuts Avenue, as the Tree of Lights will come alive with color during the evening of Tuesday, November 23rd at 6 pm.

In addition to Stockton’s Tree, five other communities will host a Tree Lights:

Tracy               Friday, November 16th at 6:00 pm.

Hosted by the Tracy Outlets,

HWY 205 at MacArthur, & Pescadero, Tracy

Stockton          Tuesday, November 27th at 6:00 pm

                                    Hosted by San Joaquin Delta College

5151 Pacific Avenue, Stockton

Lockeford        Wednesday, November 28th, 6:00 pm.

                                    Hosted by Clements / Lockeford Chamber of Commerce

Wells Fargo Bank, 19000 N. HWY 88, Lockeford

Ripon               Friday, November 30th at 6:00 pm.

                                    Hosted by the City of Ripon

Mistlin Park, Corner of East Main and Oak Avenue, Ripon

Rio Vista          Saturday, December 4th, 5:30 pm.

                                    Hosted by Rio Vista Chamber of Commerce

Rio Vista City Hall, 1 Main Street, Rio Vista

Manteca           Wednesday, December 5th at 6:00 pm.

                                    Hosted by Doctor’s Hospital

                                    1205 E. North Street, Manteca

Lodi                 Thursday, December 6th, 5:30 pm.

                                    Hosted by the City of Lodi ‘

City Hall, 221 W. Pine Street, Lodi

Tracy               Friday, December 3rd, 6:00 pm.

                                    Tracy Outlets, HWY 205 at MacArthur, & Pescadero, Tracy

To dedicate a light in memory or honor of a loved one, or for details about the other five Tree of Lights events, call (209) 922-0242 or visit us at www.hospicesj.org.

Source: Hospice of San Joaquin