'Place of Peace' dedicated

GAINESVILLE - The Northeast Georgia Medical Center Foundation dedicated the Wilheit-Keys Peace Garden Monday at the regional hospital's north entrance.

The Peace Garden was made possible through a $700,000 signature gift to the Medical Center Foundation by long-time hospital supporters Philip and Mary Hart Wilheit, Sr. and their family, Jeff and Hart Payne and Philip and Addie Wilheit, Jr.

It is named for the Wilheits' parents, Tom and Jane Eve Wilheit and Jack and Mildred Keys.

Medical Center Foundation Chairman Woodrow Stewart said the Wilheits' gift is inviting as a place of peace at the hospital's entrance.

"You may experience the beauty that has been made possible by this gift by a family in loving memory of parents, grandparents and great grandparents," Stewart said.

Wilheit said the gift also includes maintenance funding and a water conservation collection system.

"When you build a project like this it is cost effective to put a collection system underneath these tiles, and we don't want the maintenance to be a draw on health care dollars," Wilheit said.

First Lady Sandra Deal was one of the dedication guests.

The Peace Garden project began in late January in winter cold and rain. Gainesville landscaper Mark Focklele created the garden and said the weather was a challenge at times.

"We did have a lot of bad weather with a lot of rain and several inches of snow but it moved along pretty well in spite of all of that," Fockele said. "The garden has a lot of detail in it; it has five very unusual fountains."