Annual Festival of Lights brings joy to Fredericton nursing home residents

It's a holiday tradition that sparks joyat Fredericton's Pine Grove Nursing Home,now in its 14th year.

The Festival of Lights is bigger than ever, with 138 evergreens decorated and lit up along the driveway into the nursing home, thanks tounwavering community support that helps to raisemoney for much-needed items for the home.

Mary-Lou Stirling, the co-chair of the Festival of Lights, said the initiative has grown and now has around 40 volunteers, including the St. Thomas University women's hockey team, help decorate the trees.

It's a projectthat always begins in October, with the goalof lighting up the trees from Dec. 1 until the end of the month, said Stirling.

"Without community support, we could never get 138 trees decoratedso these people are friends of Pine Grove, board members, and we are so appreciative," she said.

WATCH | O Christmas trees! Pine Grove Nursing Home puts on a show:

Bigger and brighter than ever: Fredericton's Pine Grove Nursing Homes latest Festival of Lights

2 years ago

Duration 3:11

A combined effort of community support, sponsorship and volunteers light up 138 trees and countless hearts for their 14th season.

Stirling said the trees are sponsored in memory of a loved one by both businesses and individuals, with contributions ranging from $250 to $1,000 per tree.

She said this was the first year that Pine Grove didn't have to go out tofind sponsors.

"The businesses are now coming to us and asking if they can participate," said Stirling.

The donations are then used to provide needed items forthe nursing home that aren't covered by its budgetor government grants.

"Over the years the foundation has provided electric beds and most recently ceiling fans in the rooms they're needed in," said Stirling.

She said donations have also helped add new dining room tables, chairs, mattresses and an outdoor garden for residents "to enjoy in the summer."

This year, the foundation hopes to add furniture to the home's living room and over-bed tables for residents who are not mobile.

"Many of our residents now are bed-ridden or nearly bed-ridden and require those kinds of accommodations," said Stirling.

Stirling said the residentsget a certain thrill from seeing the trees get decorated and shiningforthe entire month of December.

"The residents, of course. love it," said Stirling, "It's helped their evenings and afternoons go quickly."

"There are thousands of people who drive through over the course of the month and so many of the residents like to just watch the cars."

Long-standing volunteer

Joe Dobbelsteynsaid he was a founding member of the Pine Grove Nursing Home in 1982, "and I've been here ever since."

He said he was on the board of directors in charge of managing the nursing home's budget, which doesn't cover all of the needs ofthe residents at Pine Grove.

The board of directors decided to create a foundation that would focus solelyon raising money for additional needs at the nursing home.

Dobbelsteyn said the Festival of Lights has raised in the hundreds of thousands in the last 14 years.

His main job now is making sure all the trees light up properly.

Dobbelsteyn said every four trees have their own electrical cableso it's a tediousjob that he's still not ready to give up.

"It's just one of those things that you're hung up on, I've been here since day one."