Tom Perdue, former Mayor of Griffin, spoke to the group before lighting the tree.

Dozens gathered at Spalding Regional Medical Center (SRMC) Tuesday night for the annual Love Lights a Tree event that raised more than $1,500 for the American Cancer Society.

The event began with a speech by hospital Chief Executive Officer John Quinn. "This is my favorite part of the season because it kicks off the Christmas season at Spalding Regional Medical Center," he said.

He said during this time of year, he's busy with hospital business, shopping and Christmas parties. Love Lights a Tree reminds him of what Christmas is really about - the birth of Jesus Christ. Afterward, Quinn introduced former Griffin Mayor Tom Perdue. Quinn praised Perdue for his foresight in getting the Still Branch Reservoir built. He also said that Perdue himself is a survivor of two types of cancer -- he was diagnosed in 2005 with leukemia, which is now in remission, and in 2006 with pancreatic cancer, which required him to undergo a complicated procedure and chemotherapy.

Perdue began his speech by thanking everyone for giving him the opportunity to speak. He went on to praise the hospital for doing a good job caring for him when he stayed there. He said staff members treated him as though he was a family member.

He went on to say that a doctor once told him that he was still around because God didn't want him yet. He then said that applied to everyone in the room -- God doesn't want them yet because God still has things for them to do.

"I wish everyone a merry Christmas and God bless every one of you on the way home," he said, ending his speech.

Then he lit a Christmas tree decorated with 140 angel ornaments purchased in honor of those who survived cancer or succumbed to cancer.

After he spoke, the Handbell Choir of Griffin First Presbyterian and the Rock Springs Church Children's Choir put on a Christmas performance. The bell choir played songs like "Joy to the World," while the Rock Springs group played a series of well-known songs like "Away in a Manger" and "Go Tell It on the Mountain."Perdue thought highly of the event.

"I think it's a great thing," he said during the reception afterward. "The main purpose of it is to bring continued awareness to cancer and to help find a cure and to give people with cancer a better quality of life."

Rosa Blanks, a member of the auxiliary, created the labels for the ornaments."I enjoyed doing the angels," she said. "I took long hours doing it for the special event."