Anderson Regional Cancer Center employee Brenda Stokes paints a name on an ornament purchased for the annual Christmas Tribute, a fundraiser for the Cancer Patient Benevolence Fund at Anderson Regional Cancer Center.

    “Elves” at Anderson Regional Cancer Center are hard at work preparing ornaments for the upcoming Christmas Tribute.

    An annual fundraiser for the center’s Cancer Patient Benevolence Fund, the Christmas Tribute is a way to pay tribute to friends, family and loved ones this holiday season with a personalized Christmas ornament hand painted with their name.

    Now in its seventh year, the event resulted in the purchase of more than 325 ornaments last year, with $6,000 raised for the benevolence fund, said Wayne Herrington, the Cancer Center’s administrative director.

    The Cancer Patient Benevolence Fund helps area cancer patients with necessities they may be unable to afford, such as transportation assistance, prosthesis, medicine assistance, lymphedema supplies and food.    “This year, this fund has distributed $20,000 with direct assistance to more than 200 cancer patients in our area,” Herrington said. “One hundred percent of the monies from the fund go directly to patients.”

    While proceeds from the fundraiser benefits the benevolence fund, the Christmas Tribute is not exclusive to those whose lives have been touched by cancer.

    “This allows the community to honor or pay tribute to special people in their lives,” he said. “It can be a family member, a teacher – anyone who is special to them. And at the same time, you’re helping the community.”

    The cost of each ornament is a minimum gift of $10. Acknowledgments will be sent to all honorees as directed by donors.

    A tribute ceremony will be held Dec. 14 at 3 p.m. in the hospital’s North Lobby. The event features the ceremonial reading of honorees and the lighting of a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments representing the honorees.

    After Dec. 14, the donor as a keepsake or to give to the honoree may pick up the ornaments from the center.