Pomerene Auxiliary Christmas Festival raises funds for patient care

The Pomerene Hospital Auxiliary is preparing its 16th annual Christmas Festival, a major local fundraiser scheduled for Dec. 5 and 6 at the Berlin Grande Hotel. Organizers said the two day event will showcase more than 100 decorated trees along with wreaths, holiday décor and furniture pieces available for purchase, and will include raffle prizes. Admission will be five dollars, and children 14 and under will be admitted free.

Proceeds from the festival are earmarked for patient care equipment and facility improvements at Pomerene Hospital. For a small rural health system in Holmes County, events like this provide tangible support for services that otherwise compete for limited operating dollars. The Auxiliary announced the festival on Nov. 10 and listed event sponsors and a phone number for questions about attendance, donations or purchases.

Community fundraisers serve as both financial lifelines and social gatherings in areas where public health resources are thin. Money raised at the festival can mean updated diagnostic tools, improved patient monitoring equipment, or modest facility upgrades that enhance safety and comfort for patients. Those investments ripple outward, affecting staffing needs, service availability and the ability of the hospital to respond to emergencies or chronic care demands.

Beyond the immediate financial benefit, the festival is significant for community cohesion. Local volunteers and Auxiliary members organize months of work to assemble displays and solicit donations, and vendors and visitors contribute to a seasonal boost in economic activity. For residents who rely on Pomerene Hospital for primary care, maternal services and urgent needs, the event represents a direct way to support the hospital without relying solely on institutional budgets or government funding.

The reliance on volunteer led fundraising highlights broader policy questions about how rural hospitals are resourced. Many small hospitals face constrained reimbursements and rising costs for personnel and technology. Community driven events can help bridge gaps, but they also underscore persistent inequities between urban and rural health systems when it comes to sustainable funding and capital projects.

Organizers encourage residents to attend, donate items for the sale or consider raffle participation as another way to support local care. The festival will be held at the Berlin Grande Hotel, and the Auxiliary has provided contact information in its announcement for those with questions about attendance, donations or purchases.

As the holidays approach, the Pomerene Hospital Auxiliary festival aims to blend seasonal celebration with civic purpose. For Holmes County residents, the event is a chance to preserve and strengthen a community asset that plays a central role in local health and wellbeing.