The City of Cedartown will do its part to make the holiday season special for residents of the state’s mental health and retardation hospitals.

For 51 years, cities across Georgia have brought the joy of the holiday season to patients at Georgia’s seven regional mental health and retardation hospitals through the Mayor’s Christmas Motorcade.

The program, begun by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) in cooperation with Gov. Ernest Vandiver, relies on citizen participation in each city to donate gifts for the patients, many of whom would not receive gifts or be recognized without the motorcade.

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.

Donated items from the City of Cedartown will be delivered to Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital on Dec. 15. Civic organizations, businesses, churches, schools, scout troops and individual citizens are encouraged to help with the collection of gifts for the motorcade.

For more information on how groups can participate, call City Manager Charles Akridge or Fire Chief Sammy Stephens at 770-748-3220.

Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, educational, employee benefit and technical consulting services to its 514 member cities.