Aspirus Hospital Volunteers celebrate Lites of Love

Since 1996, members of Aspirus Volunteers- Medford have worked tirelessly to raise funds for healthcare career scholarships through the annual Lites-of-Love fundraiser.

Each year, students from local high schools in the hospital's service area compete for scholarship funding.

Students interested in medical-related fields such as: premedicine, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, dietitian, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or psychology may apply.

Lites of Love Scholarship applications will re-open at the end of January 2025.

Applications will be delivered to high schools where students can fill out applications for a chance to be awarded a Lites of Love scholarship.

Lites of Love Essay Contest

Area fourth grade students were invited to participate in the annual Lites of Love Essay Contest. Scoring is subjective and based on number of entries received. This year, contestants were asked to answer the following: 'Why should Medford have a local hospital?”

The top essay winners read their essays at the Lites of Love ceremony held in the community room at Aspirus Medford Hospital. The event included a musical selection from the Medford Area Senior High School Take Note choir and the presentation of the colors and pledge of allegiance from the Medford Boy Scout troop along with a lighting of the tree in the lobby of the hospital.

Those present were welcomed by Jason Troxell, president for the Northwest Wisconsin Division of Aspirus which includes Aspirus Medford Hospital.

Essay winners are as follows: 1st Place - Caleb Akey, Holy Rosary School Have you been to the hospital? I have. I had to go to the hospital because I was really sick. My grandma took me because she thought I might be dehydrated. I appreciate our hospital because they helped me. We need a hospital because people might have car crashes or heart attacks. If they are in Gilman, they can get treatment in Medford and it is much closer than driving to Marshfield or Wausau. We need a hospital in Medford so people can have surgery in Medford. They will be closer to home for their family and friends to help out. Taylor County comes together when there is a hospital in Medford.

2nd Place - Haddie Strama, Holy Rosary School Hospitals are very important to our community. They help all sorts of people. These are the reasons why I think it is important to have a hospital in Taylor County. Having a hospital in Taylor County is very convenient. If someone gets hurt they aren't going to have time to drive all the way to Wausau or Marshfield. Their injury could get worse on the drive there. The hospital can provide education to its community. For example they teach workers CPR training. If someone was dying, we would need to know how to save them with CPR. They could die if no one taught them this information. The community comes together when there is a hospital in Taylor County. People help fundraise for many causes. We have cancer, and autism walks also Alzheimer's classes for patients and families. A community can benefit by having a hospital in town because they provide elder care. If someone got surgery they can get rehabilitation in Taylor County so they don't have to drive forty minutes to an hour each day even if they got surgery somewhere else. It also makes it easier not just on them but on their family and friends that are helping them too. It is very helpful to have a hospital in Taylor county, especially in Medford. This is why I’m thankful to Aspirus.

3rd Place - Olive Nazer, Holy Rosary School When I was 5 years old I had a very bad asthma attack and my parents brought me to the Medford Aspirus Hospital. Have you ever needed to use the hospital? Well I'm going to share some other reasons why we need our hospital in Medford. We need a hospital because some people's bodies need more help than others. My mom's friend had kidney problems and had to go to the hospital every day. He lived in Medford, and it was easy for him to get to the hospital for his appointment. That's why people with kidney problems need the Medford Hospital. We also need a hospital for moms that need a nearby birth center so they do not have to drive 45 minutes to 1 hour to a different hospital. My mom had to drive to Marshfield to have a baby because of this situation. That's why we need a town hospital so moms can have babies. Our community comes together for our hospital here in Taylor County. People help fundraise for many causes and hold health fairs for education. We have Alzheimer classes for families and cancer walks for people that recovered from the illness. These are the reasons that myself and the community are thankful for the Medford Hospital. I am thankful that Medford Hospital is progressive.