Honor your loved one on the Tree of Lights

In an effort to help members of the community remember loved ones during the holiday season, the Tioga Friends of Hospice, in support of Hospice West at Lourdes, is once again inviting the community to light the Memorial Tree of Lights. 

This annual tradition is a project that has been in existence in the community for over 20 years, with an evergreen available for lighting in each village: Apalachin, Barton, Berkshire, Candor, Campville, Newark Valley, Nichols, Owego, Richford, Spencer, Tioga Center, Waverly, Lockwood, and Willseyville.

The program initially began with the planting of a tree in each town square located throughout Tioga County; the same trees that have been lighted year after year. For a $5 donation, a light can be purchased in honor of a loved one who has passed. 

Approximately 1,500 names are memorialized through the Tree of Lights each year. In addition to each white light memorializing your deceased loved one, the name of the loved one is also printed once in The Owego Pennysaver during December.

To participate in honoring your loved one and lighting your community’s Memorial Tree of Lights, download a form from the tiogafriendsofhospice.org website and send to: Memorial Tree of Lights, c/o Friends of Hospice, P.O. Box 638, Owego, N.Y. 13827. Checks should be made out to “Memorial Tree of Lights.”  

If you do not have access to a computer, call (607) 687-2835 to request a form.