Hutcheson Medical Center held its 28th annual Christmas Tree Lighting Thursday night at the hospital. The event featured a children’s crafts area, holiday carols from the Cloud Springs Elementary chorus, a visit from Santa, and the annual lighting of the tree atop the hospital. What attendees were not expecting was the simultaneous lighting of the new Hutcheson sign on top of the hospital and the return of the lights which illuminate the perimeter of the hospital’s roofline.
A few years ago the decision was made to cut the holiday lights off at Hutcheson, which prompted local TV personality Judy O’Neal from UCTV to state "the lights are off at Hutcheson”, an analogy which reflected the financial health of hospital.
According to Roger Forgey, Hutcheson president and CEO, “The team here at Hutcheson is working very hard. We have made real progress but we are not finished and look forward to great things in the future. Patients are choosing Hutcheson again and we are grateful. On behalf of our 850 employees and all of our families, we want to wish everyone the best of holiday seasons and we want to let you know that the lights are back on at Hutcheson”. Forgey also noted the lighting of the new Hutcheson logo atop the hospital. “We are proud to be Hutcheson and part of the Erlanger Health System.”
Those in attendance included hospital employees and their families, residents of the community, and Judy O’Neal. “The lights are shining on the hill at our community hospital once again,” said Ms. O’Neal. “It shows Hutcheson’s concern for a healthy, brighter future for healthcare in our community.”