Courtesy Photo C.W. and Mary Bess (pictured) are coordinating the Blessed Christmas Tree fundraising effort at ETMC Athens this year. "Putting a card on the Blessed Christmas Tree is a way of experiencing the blessing of investing in the lives of others, " said Mrs. Bess. "We'd like to see as much participation as possible." Just after Thanksgiving this year - before all the turkey leftovers had been consumed - members of the ETMC Athens Auxiliary gathered to raise the annual Blessed Christmas Tree in the hospital lobby.

The tree is not only a warm and welcoming site for visitors; it's also a major fundraiser for the auxiliary's nursing scholarships. A donation of any amount results in a card being placed on the tree bearing the name of a loved one - either in that person's honor or memory.

"Putting a card on the Blessed Christmas Tree is way of experiencing the blessing of investing in the lives of others," explained Mary Bess, who along with her husband, C.W., is coordinating the fundraising effort. "If someone wants to help us to train and prepare more nurses to strengthen our hospital, this is a wonderful opportunity to do so - and at the same time honor a loved one."

Through the tree and many other fundraising efforts, the auxiliary awards 12 scholarships each year to nursing students at Trinity Valley Community College or UT Tyler and satellite campuses. The auxiliary raises at least $30,000 annually to fund nursing scholarships. In return, recipients commit to working at ETMC Athens upon graduation.

The Besses mailed out around 150 invitations inviting people to make a donation to the tree, including previous participants, area businesses, and members of the medical community.

"One hundred percent of the contributions go to the scholarship program," said Mrs. Bess. "We'd like to see as much participation as possible. " Anyone interested in making a donation and having a loved one's name placed on the tree - either in honor of or memory of - can stop by the hospital and speak to an auxiliary member,