February 10, 2022

Christmas Village celebrates 60 years of tireless support

From left are Dominique Herrington, MS, Michael de Riesthal, PhD, Tiffani Kuhn, co-chair of Christmas Village, Susan Booth, co-chair of Christmas Village, and Norman, the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences’ facility dog.
From left are Dominique Herrington, MS, Michael de Riesthal, PhD, Tiffani Kuhn, co-chair of Christmas Village, Susan Booth, co-chair of Christmas Village, and Norman, the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences’ facility dog. (photo by Donn Jones)

by Emily Stembridge

The Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences recently received a $385,000 check from Christmas Village representatives. The donation is the latest derived from a 60-year partnership between the department and Christmas Village, which has seen $9.3 million raised for the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center.

Christmas Village is organized and operated solely through the volunteer efforts of the Nashville Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club to benefit the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center and other Pi Beta Phi philanthropies.

“Since 1951 when the Bill Wilkerson Center first opened its doors, the Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club has been there to support us in so many ways, including volunteering in our clinics. Sixty years ago, they established Christmas Village — our longest running and most successful fundraiser. Their support has and will continue to mean so much to the long-term success of our programs,” said Anne Marie Tharpe, PhD, chair of the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences.