COCHRANE— A modified Light Up celebration is a go this year, thanks to a grant from the Town of Cochrane.
Coun. Marni Fedeyko brought forward a motion at the regular meeting on Monday (Nov. 9) requesting up to $15,000 in grant support of Light Up.
Fedeyko said she was thankful for council’s support in helping resurrect the holiday celebration.
The 2020 Cochrane Light Up was initially cancelled in July due to COVID-19. Fedeyko noted the grant earmarked for the group was already approved by council for Light Up, before it was initially cancelled, and will draw from the Community Grants program.
“There’s a lot of people that are missing events right now,” Fedeyko said. “There is a negative drone that seems to exist out in the world right now and this is an opportunity to brighten people’s spirits and help us all get into the Christmas spirit.”
Holiday celebrations across Cochrane, the province and Canada will be different this year because of the pandemic, she said, adding she hopes Light Up will give people something to look forward to.
This year's Light Up celebration plans are a carefully guarded secret, she said, but the event will look different because it will be following public health guidelines and no public gatherings will take place.
Fedeyko was a co-organizer of Light Up for five years and the event “sits near and dear” to her heart.
“It’s an event I’ve always been proud of,” Fedeyko said. “This year more than anything I think we all need a little happiness and I hope it brings it to people.”
Now that the funding for the 2020 Light Up has been approved volunteers are hard at work preparing surprise festivities for the town.
Light Up organizer Stephenie Shelstad said the main concern of the 2020 event is ensuring everyone stays safe.
Shelstad has been working with Light Up for eight years and said this year’s celebration will be a one-of-a-kind COVID-friendly festivity.
Shelstad has been as busy as an elf in Santa's workshop the past two weeks working with Town officials getting the event off the ground.
She was thrilled when the funding request was approved by council.
“Everybody is getting COVID tired right now. Things are just getting tough for everybody,” Shelstad said. “Cochrane Light Up, the reason it keeps me coming back is all the joy it brings and I think right now this is something the town really needs.”
It will be a different experience this year, she noted, as there will be no gathering together on Main Street for hotdogs and hot chocolate.
However, Shelstad said, they are encouraging families to come up with their own recipes for treats at home when the Light Up surprise is revealed virtually. The special surprise will work to bring people together online in the warmth and safety of their own homes.
“We need everybody to be home because we need to let Santa know that everybody is still celebrating Christmas,” Shelstad said. “We’re going to be bringing Christmas cheer that will last the whole season.”
Keep an eye on the Light Up Facebook page for more details.
“It’s going to be epic. It’s going to bring a lot of smiles to everybody’s faces and it's going to be something that people can enjoy the whole season,” Shelstad said.
The surprise Light Up funding request was a pleasant motion to come before council, said mayor Jeff Genung, because several important community events have been cancelled because of COVID-19.
“This was something that the community can enjoy. It’s a good thing,” Genung said. “Light Up is one of those things that we're kind of renowned for here in Cochrane.”
Genung added Light Up will be an important event because it will help lift the spirit of the community and bring neighbours together.
“If this can be a little bit of a bright spot for people, pardon the pun, over the holiday’s then I think it’s worth it.”
