December is a busy month for the George C. Grape Community Hospital Auxiliary. Its annual membership drive corresponds with the annual Cookie Walk and Tree of Lights Campaign.

Friday, December 6, the Cookie Walk will be held at four locations beginning at 8 a.m. Cookies and other sweet treats can be purchased at The Center in Hamburg, the cafeteria at Grape Community Hospital, Riverton Community Room, and Sidney Library.

There will also be specialty items of vendors available at the Center including woodworking.

Membership in the Auxiliary can either be active or inactive. For a $5 fee, anyone in the area can support the efforts of the Auxiliary to serve and assist the hospital in promoting health and welfare in the community. Active members can participate in board meetings, help at the gift shop, and help with projects like baking cookies. Membership Chair Joni Spiegel will answer any questions you might have about participation.

The third big event is the Tree of Lights. A Christmas tree is located on the hospital grounds and each year bulbs are lit in memory or honor of individuals for $5 per name. Nancy Middaugh is the person to contact. During the month of December, names of those remembered and the donors are listed weekly in the Hamburg Reporter and on the hospital’s Facebook page.

Do these fundraising activities and the sales from the gift shop in the hospital lobby make a difference at Grape? Yes, they do. This year the Auxiliary awarded two $500 scholarships and donated $6,000 to the hospital for a centrifuge and Sofia II rapid test analyzer for the lab and a snow plow for maintenance.

Help the Auxiliary continue to meets it goals by becoming a member, supporting the Cookie and Sweet Walk, and remembering a loved one with a donation to the Tree of Lights.