CHESHIRE, Conn. — After many years of lighting up the lives of Cheshire residents and raising around $1.2 million for local charities, the Lights of Hope will shine for the last time this weekend.
"The metaphor of 'light in darkness' was very important to me and to my wife," said Don Walsh, the president of Cheshire's Lights of Hope. "We felt that we needed to make sure that, you know, the idea of lighting a candle in the darkness show that there's hope for all of us, and that's why we did it."
Don and his wife Jenifer started the tradition in their neighborhood in 2005. The 50 or so houses in that area took part, lighting up the street with luminaries - tea light candles in paper bags.
"And it was a beautiful night. We got to meet a lot of neighbors we didn’t know," Don said.
It turns out Jen's parents had a similar tradition while she grew up in upstate New York.
"They used to do it around Christmas time," Jenifer said. "And my mother would get everybody’s orders and put the bags in their mailboxes and I just loved doing this all the time."
Jenifer's Cheshire neighbor also had a similar tradition in the Tri-State area, and both those childhood traditions were rekindled, turning into a fundraiser.
"The following year, other neighborhoods asked us if they can join in so we said sure. And we raised money that year for the MS Society," Don said.
As Cheshire's Lights of Hope picked up speed, the Petit family tragedy shook the town in 2007. That's when the Walsh couple expanded the event into a town-wide collaboration, unifying Cheshire.
"We needed to figure out a way to unite them and my wife and I felt if it united our neighborhood, maybe we can unite the town," Don said.
Over 130,000 luminaries were set up that year. And more than $130,000 was raised for the Petit family's memorial funds, including Hayley's Hope and Michaela's Miracle MS Memorial Fund.
"People just came out of the woodwork trying to help us," Jen said of 2007's edition of Cheshire's Lights of Hope.
As the years continued, so did the time spent serving the community and raising funds for town charities, specifically the Cheshire Food Pantry, Petit Family Foundation, Cheshire Youth and Social Services, and two $2,000 scholarships for Cheshire high school students seeking higher education.
But, as Don says, "all good things come to an end."
"And it's a bittersweet moment for my wife and I," Don explained. "We've given our hearts and souls into this organization, and it's something very special to us."
"We just decided we'd rather go out on a high than just to let it fizzle out," Jen said.
It had been under discussion for years with the committee. Between handling their jobs and other civic duties, the Walshs saw preparing for the annual event as the work of another full-time job.
Planning for Cheshire's Lights of Hope happens nearly year-round, starting in February, while handing out the two scholarships in May, and add in committee meetings, fundraising and preparing luminary orders, leading up to the year-end event.
The volunteer night - two weeks before Lights of Hope - was bustling, as volunteers assembled and boxed up luminary kits for neighborhood and business deliveries and arranged pickups at the warehouse.
"A kit basically, is 10 white bags, 10 plastic cups and 10-12 hour burning candles that each person who paid $12 would get this kit. And on Nov. 12, they would put them out in front of their house, light them, and if their neighborhood all participated, when you drive up that street, it's a beautiful sight," Don explained.
The final event will be held Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Cheshire Town Green. At 2 p.m., a check will be presented to the charities they have long-time supported.
"We will have a little bit of a ceremony on the church green where we will present the checks to the recipients and have a little farewell to everybody too and then kickoff the lighting of the mile of hope," Don said.
That night, thousands of luminaries will light up Cheshire one last time. Not only in the neighborhoods but also on the Mile of Hope, which stretches on Route 10 from Cheshire High School to Cheshire Academy.
"You have never seen anything like it, it's breathtaking. It's something to see," said Joe Whitright, who has partnered with the Walshs for luminary preparations.
Whitright is the owner of Paws Pet Resort and Spa, and also owns the warehouse building he has let the Walshs use for Cheshire's Lights of Hope preparations over the past decade.
"[Joe] doesn’t ask for a penny," Don said. "Whatever we need, he will help us with. It’s just amazing the support we’ve received from the community to do this."
"It feels great giving back to the community," Whitright added. "I've been in town my whole life and it's just like I say: neighbors helping neighbors. It's the best feeling."
So, would it be possible to someday see luminaries lighting up the streets of Cheshire once again?
"We're not stopping anybody from doing a similar type of event, calling it whatever they want," Don said.
Just not under the Lights of Hope name, as that's been trademarked. Legalities aside, the Walshs hope someone will step up and continue the work of helping others in need.
"Reach for the stars and go and do whatever they can," Jen said. "Keep plugging away and ask as many people as they can for help because there's a lot of volunteers in this town that are willing to help you."
Leah Myers is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at lmyers@fox61.com
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