Stan Cassidy and Ys Men Team up for Tree Lighting

The Stan Cassidy Foundation and the Epsilon Ys Men invite the public to Christmas at the Cassidy, on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 from 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. at the Stan Cassidy Therapeutic Park, 800 Priestman Street, Fredericton. This is an opportunity to watch the lighting of a twenty ‐ foot tree covered in 2,000 lights and enjoy some seasonal live music. Marvin Peacock, a Stan Cassidy outpatient, will perform Little Drummer Boy  with the aid of a foot‐ strummer device. The Stan Cassidy Centre's Rehab Engineer and inventor of the device, Josh Keys, will accompany Mr. Peacock. Award‐ winning tenor Derrick Paul Miller and Kiona Paul Dedam, one of the centre's younger patients, will perform later in the program.

The tree - a twenty‐foot balsam fir donated by Chase's woodlot in Penniac - will be lit by Alex Hayward, a fifteen‐year ‐old high school student from Quispamsis. The young Mr. Hayward suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of routine play in his favourite game - hockey. His determination coupled with expert rehab services and donor‐funded physiotherapy equipment is bringing about a speedy recovery.

The tree has also experienced an excellent recovery at the Stan Cassidy Centre, but this patient's caregivers are volunteers. After a traumatic injury to its trunk while enroute to the Park about a week ago, some emergency surgery by able woodsmen, and excellent therapy, the tree is once again standing tall.

Décor design and build services for the event are being donated by Doug Warman's Damsels in Distress. Fredericton‐area residents may be familiar with Mr. Warman's work at St. Paul's

United Church and from various Christmas house tours over the years. Christmas decorations and lights, retailing at just under $4,000, have been donated by Kent, and volunteers from the Ys Men and Ys Menettes are assisting with the assembly of decorations. Heavy lifting to help the tree back onto its feet was provided by coaches and members of Crossfit Biometrics, Fredericton's Performance Gym. A scissor lift rental has been donated by Hertz Rental Equipment and office supplies by Covey Basics.

Refreshments will be served and are being provided free ‐of‐ charge by Fredericton Atlantic Superstores.

Following this public event, inpatients of the Stan Cassidy Centre and their families are invited upstairs at the Centre for the 50-year‐ strong tradition of the inpatient Christmas party, funded in large part by the Epsilon Ys Men. Additional entertainment, decorations, food and a visit from Santa will be provided for inpatients of the Centre.

The Stan Cassidy Foundation is a registered charity that provides resources to the Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation, its patients and staff. Its focus is on patient care through direct patient support, and by enhancing the facility and rehabilitation services. The largely volunteer driven foundation has been active since the 1950s.

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For more information, including photographs or interviews, contact:

Alissa Lee
Executive Director
Stan Cassidy Foundation
506‐ 443‐2151

or

506‐238 ‐4555 (cell)
Alissa.Lee@HorizonNB.ca