During the pandemic and wild year of 2020, it’s the small things that remind us we’re in this together. Nothing says that more than an Atlanta holiday tradition.
The Macy’s Great Tree Lighting took place Thursday night at Lenox Square as over 45,000 LED lights shined bright on the 56-foot eco-friendly, reusable tree.
The Atlanta tradition started in the 1940s. This year’s event was a smaller, private celebration and the organizers invited a special guest to kick off the holiday season.
For the last few years, patients from the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta have been honorary tree lighters.
With the push of a button, 3-year-old Kenni Daley illuminated the great 56-foot tree this year.
It’s something that Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said has extra meaning this year.
“So wonderful that in 2020, there’s some things that are still the same and this great tree is one of those things in the city," Bottoms said.
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The only thing brighter than the lights atop Lenox Square is Kenni’s inspirational story. Doctors diagnosed her with a rare form of ovarian cancer.
But with the help of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Kenni is now cancer-free.
Macy’s treated Kenni and her family to a shopping spree and also donated $65,000 to Children’s Healthcare. To date, Macy’s has donated more than $930,000 to the hospital system.
It’s an early Christmas gift for so many brave children just like Kenni.
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