THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, November 19, 1995              TAG: 9511170722
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS      PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   66 lines

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: ***************************************************************** Tree-lighting ceremonies at Maryview Medical Center and Portsmouth General Hospital will be held next week; a story in Sunday's Portsmouth Currents had the wrong week. The 12th Annual Holiday Light Tree will be lighted at 6 p.m. next Monday at Maryview Medical Center. And Portsmouth General Hospital will illuminate its Love Light Tree at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, Nov. 28. Correction published in The Virginian-Pilot on Tuesday, November 21, 1995, on page A2. ***************************************************************** HOSPITALS TO LIGHT THEIR HOLIDAY TREES DONATIONS BUY LIGHTS, FUNDS BUY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

Maryview Medical Center and Portsmouth General Hospital will hold tree-lighting ceremonies Monday and Tuesday, respectively:

The 12th Annual Holiday Light Tree will be lit at 6 p.m. Monday in a ceremony outside Maryview Medical Center.

Funds raised from this year's tree lighting will go toward buying obstetrics equipment and the support of cardiac services at the hospital.

This year's tree is dedicated to the memory of Abe Goldblatt and Dr. Phillip Park.

Goldblatt, a sports writer for The Virginian-Pilot, also was a longtime member of the Maryview Auxiliary.

Park began his obstetrics and gynecology practice in Portsmouth in 1975. He served as the president of the medical staffs of both Maryview and Portsmouth General.

Donations of $5 or more will be recognized with a tree light; donations of $25 or more will be recognized with a star light; donations of $100 or more are recognized with a star burst. A card will be sent to the person or family of the person being honored.

Maryview was the second and Portsmouth General was the first in Virginia to offer a Holiday Light Tree as a way of raising funds to support health care. Some of the contributions made possible through the charity of donors include a defibrillator, a solarium, a hospice room, isolette monitoring equipment for the nursery, MRI sound system and a flexible laryngoscope.

For more information, call 398-2130.

Portsmouth General Hospital will illuminate its Love Light Tree at 7 p.m. Tuesday in front of the hospital.

Carl Medley, hospital administrator, will preside. Before the program, music will be provided by Joyful Sound, a bell choir from Jackson Memorial Baptist Church under the direction of Don Carter.

The Love Light Tree was started at Portsmouth General Hospital in 1981, the first hospital in the state to adopt the project. Every $5 donation buys one light, while every $100 donation buys a bulb in the star.

Proceeds from the Love Light Tree will be used to purchase a mobile X-ray machine for Mobile Diagnostic Unit No. 2. Unit 2 was added by the hospital after the success of the first diagnostic van, which was donated to the hospital by the Auxiliary.

The vans are used to test nursing home and homebound patients.

Forms for gifts to the Love Light Tree may be obtained from the gift shop of Portsmouth General Hospital, 850 Crawford Parkway. by CNB