Story by Shannon Watkins, Galax Gazette (July 31-August 1, 2017)

Galax Health and Rehab held its quarterly benefit, appropriately themed “Christmas In July,” on Friday afternoon. Festive and bright, it involved holiday decorations, a cookie contest – and a whole lot of presents. “This time we decided to do it for Joy Ranch,” said Director Luis Jiminez. “And at this point what we’re doing is getting our area vendors, those who are our partners, to come out and support us.” Vendors and partners Medi Home Health & Hospice, Mid Atlantic Urgent Care, High Country Services, Access Home Health, Commonwealth Assisted Living, Blue Ridge Home Health, Twin County Home Health and Hospice, Hillsville Health and Rehab, Interim Home Health and Mountain Valley Hospice all contributed in some fashion, including donating age-appropriate toys for 12 Joy Ranch children, as well as pooling for a cash donation to the children’s home. “We just want our community to know that we are very much involved in it, and that’s why we’re doing this,” said Jiminez. In addition, several partners came to the event armed with homemade cookies. Joy Ranch reps nibbled each entry, and after a sweet period of deliberation, awarded third place to Blue Ridge Home Health for their sugar cookies, second place to High Country Services for their pecan balls and first place to Twin County Home Health and Hospice for their s’mores cookies. Winners and losers alike got the prize of watching their creations appreciated and devoured by staff members and Joy Ranch kids, as Christmas carols played in the background and July was, for a little while, as cozy as Yule.