For 49 years, the Mayors' Christmas Motorcade has brought together cities across Georgia to spread the joy of the holiday season to patients at Georgia’s seven regional mental health and retardation hospitals.

            The program, begun by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) in cooperation with Governor Ernest Vandiver, relies on citizen participation in each city to donate gifts for the patients, many of who would not receive gifts  without the program. According to hospital staff, many of the patients at these hospitals have lived there most of their lives and have little, if any, support or contact with friends and family.

            The City of Statesboro staff has started its gift collection campaign and is asking for help from its citizens. The hospital clients are part of our community, drawn from a region, and the city would like to encourage everyone to remember them this holiday season.

            Items donated in Statesboro will be delivered to Georgia Regional Mental Hospital on December 12, 2007.

            Donations will be collected on Thursday, December 6, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Downtown Statesboro Holiday Celebration.

            Decorated gift collection bins are located throughout the city and county including: City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce, Park Avenue Bank (Main St. & Mall), Sea Island Bank (Main St.), Farmers & Merchants Bank (Main St.), BB&T Bank (Main St., Mall, and College Plaza), First United Methodist Church, and many local schools.

            These local restaurants have collection jars by their rash registers for cash donations: Beaver House, Blimpie Subs, Boyd’s BBQ, China Super Buffet, El Sombrero (Fair Road), Larry’s Subs (Mall), McAlister’s, Moe’s, Nikko, Ocean Galley, Pizza Inn, Papa’s Pizza, Heavenly Ham, Holiday Pizza, RJ’s, Shoney’s, Sonny’s, Vandy’s, Shane’s Rib Shack, and Snooky’s.

            Gift collection ends December 8.

            If your school, church, business or civic group would like to participate in an outstanding holiday community project, please contact the city's public information officer, Maggie Fitzgerald, at (912) 764-5468 for further information. Gift donation lists are available on our web site at www.statesboroga.net (click on Bids, Auctions, and Public Notices).

            Let’s not forget those less fortunate during the holiday season.