Cheyenne Tree of Remembrance Lighting Ceremony Saturday

Cheyenne Regional Medical Center and the CRMC Foundation will hold the 22nd annual Tree of Remembrance lighting ceremony inside Frontier Mall near Dillard's West on Dec. 2 at 1:30 p.m.

During the ceremony, community members are invited to place paper doves on the tree with written notes to remember loved ones.

CRMC Hospice Chaplain David Stratton will sing a song and Lea Grubbs, a former CRMC Hospice bereavement counselor will give a short speech. Local musician Bob McLelland will also play ''Amazing Grace" on his bagpipes.

Several hundred doves will be available on the day of the lighting ceremony, and hospice volunteers will also be handing out paper doves at a booth near the tree through Dec. 23.

There is no cost to place a dove on the tree, but those who want to can make a donation to the CRMC Foundation.

All proceeds will be given to the CRMC Hospice. Vicky Fry of the CRMC Foundation says last year about 350 people made donations totaling over $17,000 through the Tree of Remembrance.

Last year more than 1,000 paper doves were placed on the Tree of Remembrance.