Submitted Photo Vandalia Health Davis Medical Center employees and others from the community recently gathered outside the hospital for National Donate Life Blue and Green Day. A Blue Spruce tree was planted during the ceremony.

ELKINS – Vandalia Health Davis Medical Center hosted a pair of ceremonies during the month of April to raise awareness about the life-changing impact of organ donation.

The first event was part of National Donate Life Blue and Green Day. Vandalia Health Davis Medical Center employees participated in the planting of a Blue Spruce Tree in the front of the hospital as part of the celebration, which honors those who both give and receive organs.

The Blue Spruce tree will serve as a living symbol of hope, renewal and the enduring legacy of donors. Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco was among the local leaders attending the ceremony.

Later in the month, Vandalia Health Davis Medical Center hosted a flag-raising ceremony in the hospital’s Serenity Garden. The ceremony honored donors, recipients and those waiting for transplants.

“This is the first year that we have done the tree planting event that honors those who both receive and give organs,” said Tracy Fath, Vice President of Marketing & Development at Vandalia Health Davis. “As far as the flag-raising ceremony goes, that is something that is done throughout the country. We had our staff come out for the flag-raising ceremony and we will keep the flag up all year around.”

The Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) hosts events like the Flag Raising Ceremony each April, which is designated as National Donate Life Month. More than 100,000 Americans are currently waiting for life-saving transplants.

“Every year we participate with CORE and what they have going on in the month of April,” Fath said. “They (CORE) use the month to create awareness about organ donation and the benefits for the people who receive it and their families.”

CORE is one of more than 50 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States. CORE coordinates the recovery and matching of organs, tissues and corneas for transplant within the service region, and works tirelessly to create a culture of donation in hospitals and communities.

For more information on how to become or find an organ donor, visit CORE.org.