Macon-Bibb bringing Christmas cheer to Milledgeville hospital

On Tuesday, Macon-Bibb County will take gifts and supplies donated as part of the annual Mayors' & Commissioners' Motorcade to the patients of Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, according to a news release.

A truck loaded with the gifts will leave from the Macon-Bibb County Government Center, 700 Poplar St., at 11:30 a.m., and Central State Hospital will hold a ceremony for all the participating cities at 1:30 p.m. The mayor of Albany and statewide chairman of this year's motorcade will attend the Macon-Bibb County Commission meeting at 6 p.m. to thank the community for its participation and support, the release said.

The Georgia Municipal Association started the motorcade 57 years ago at the request of Betty Vandiver, wife of then-Gov. Ernest Vandiver, to provide gifts for the patients and to raise awareness of the needs of mental health hospitals in Georgia. Each year, Macon-Bibb County collects items and donations for Central State Hospital, and last year, six bins full of gifts and almost $1,800 in monetary donations were collected.

This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb bringing Christmas cheer to Milledgeville hospital ."