Betty Vandiver will probably never meet the thousands of people her actions have helped assist over the past 50 years or have a chance to see the grateful smiles on their faces, but that’s okay with her.

Fifty years ago, Vandiver looked at Central State Hospital and wanted to improve the lives of clients at the hospital — many of whom were rarely visited by family or friends and were left all but forgotten behind windows and walls.

It was at that point, Vandiver, the former First Lady of Georgia, looked to the community and cities across Georgia to help ensure each individual was remembered during the Christmas season.

“All of a sudden all the towns in Georgia were doing ... something that meant so much to so many,” Vandiver said as she spoke to a crowd of city, community officials and CSH consumers inside the CSH Auditorium Tuesday afternoon.

Vandiver’s efforts eventually led to what is now known as the Mayors’ Motorcade, an event that takes place each December and involves mayors and officials from around the State of Georgia collecting donations for CSH consumers and personally delivering them to Milledgeville.

Also known as “M-Day,” the event provides for the many unable to celebrate the holidays for themselves or reach out to loved ones for Christmas.

“There are 159 counties in Georgia, and we have clients here from all but four of those counties,” CSH CEO Marvin Bailey said. “This means so much not just to the clients of Central State Hospital, but to the cities all across the state. For many clients this was the first time in their lives that they had gotten gifts not just as Christmas but for any occasion.”

Sponsored in part by the Georgia Municipal Association and the Georgia Department of Human Resources, 50 years later the Mayors’ Motorcade has grown stronger, larger and increased in popularity as more and more cities participate in the program and more and more community members assist with the event.

Some observers were overheard to remark that Tuesday’s attendance for the parade portion made one of the “largest” crowds in the 50-year history while still others chose to take a broader look at the public perspective.

“The holidays are a time to reflect on our lives and the lives of others,” Nita Cagle, wife of Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, said. “When Mrs. Vandiver began it 50 years ago, she probably could not have imagined it all lasting 50 years later. I think it’s an example of the community spirit and support that small communities in Georgia are capable of giving.”

Cagle was present with mayors from cities such as Macon, Auburn, Ivey and Gordon, as spouses of former Georgia Governors over the past 50 years were invited to attend along with officials from cities and counties across the state.

Though many chose to accept those invitations, it seemed that perhaps the largest percentage of those in attendance were CSH staff and consumers, who worked together with members from the community to perform a musical presentation that lasted for more than 30 minutes Tuesday.

“I’ve helped plan many of these. I think it’s wonderful how this has sustained itself for so long at Central State Hospital. It’s quite a milestone,” retired CSH employee Betty Purcell said.

For Vandiver, the fact that 50 years later her actions continue to help countless hundreds and thousands is a humbling but rewarding thought.

“This is a special day. I’ve been coming back here every 5 - 10 years. I’ve never seen so many people,” Vandiver said Tuesday. “It was something that had to be done because the need was there.”