The City of Douglas will be doing its part to make the holiday season special for residents of Georgia’s hospitals serving persons with developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs. For 58 years, cities across Georgia have brought the joy of the holiday season to patients at Georgia’s regional behavioral health hospitals through the Mayors’ Christmas Motorcade.
“This is a great program to help patients at local and regional mental health facilities,” says Mayor Tony Paulk. “I encourage everyone to donate so we can ensure these patients receive some joy at Christmas.”
The program, begun by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) in cooperation with Governor Ernest Vandiver and his wife Betty Vandiver, relies on citizen participation in each city to donate gifts for the patients, many of who would not receive gifts or be recognized without the Mayors’ Christmas Motorcade. According to hospital staff, many of the patients at these hospitals have little, if any, support or contact with friends and family.
Donated items from the City of Douglas will be delivered to Georgia Regional Hospital in Savannah on Dec. 6, 2017. Civic organizations, businesses, churches, schools, scout troops and individual citizens are encouraged to help with the collection of gifts for the Mayors’ Christmas Motorcade. For more information on how groups can participate or to make monetary donations, please contact Kristi L. Morgan at (912) 389-3401 or kmorgan@cityofdouglas.com